


The Missing Asgardian

by Tandirra



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Feelings, Gen, in which thanos doesnt immediately ruin everything, is all of this in the service of Val and Sif becoming space girlfriends? you better believe, space roadtrips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 06:43:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12858993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tandirra/pseuds/Tandirra
Summary: There was one very important missing piece in the battle that ended Asgard as Thor knows it. It's time she comes home.





	1. Chapter 1

“I need...” Thor started, rising from his makeshift throne. His ruined eye throbbed. “I need to see my friends. They can help.” This new problem would be good in a fresh set of minds, of that Thor was sure. He turned to Heimdall and the small trio of citizens who had emerged as leaders, three women by the names of Gaea, Idunn, and Freyja. “Where are they?”

A stricken look passed along the leadership council. Heimdall merely ducked his head. Terror throbbed through Thor’s gut in that instant. He wracked his brain trying to remember his friends boarding the ship. He had not seen the rotund form of Volstagg, nor heard Fandral’s warcry, not noticed any undead soldiers spiked through with Hogun’s favored weapon. Sif had not emerged from the crowd carrying any injured or brandishing her spear.

_But no, surely not_. “We did not leave them? They were accounted for, yes?” He heard the panic in his voice. _Not them, not after so many others._

The long silence he received was more than enough. But Heimdall’s confirmation was a final blow. “The Warriors Three… they fell to Hela as she conquered Asgard. They died well.” The words hit Thor somewhere deep in his gut and knocked the wind from him.

The ship seemed to tilt as the world dimmed and Thor put his head in his hands, giving himself a moment to grieve. He hadn’t been there, he hadn’t been able to stop it, stop his _sister_. After everything, he'd failed them. And they'd paid with their lives.

Given moment over, Thor reigned in his all too familiar sorrow and looked up. He was king and he had to act as such. One name was yet unaccounted for. “And Sif?” He let a small hope flutter in his chest. Her name was not among the Warriors Three, _so perhaps…_

“She lives, that I know.” Heimdall’s words nourished that hope. “But where, I do not. She is far and hidden from my sight.”

There passed a look between the women that Thor caught. Its meaning escaped him. Gaea, a dark woman who cradled her child in her arms, shook her head. “She may have been sent away. You should ask… your brother.” She hesitated, as if expecting him to protest.

Despite what Thor had feared and expected, the people of Asgard seemed to harbor few open resentments towards Loki. Those who did, rarely voiced their discontent; though Thor doubted the words he did hear were meant for him. In fact, it seemed to Thor, that efforts were made not to speak of Loki around him, when possible. Whatever strides Loki had made to clear his name during his time on the throne clearly had some effect; as the people appeared more concerned with how Thor would react to Loki than Loki's presence itself.

He could not blame them. There were whole days that passed where Thor did not see Loki, despite the cramped ship. In those times, Thor was certain his brother was avoiding him . He couldn't yet decide whether to be thankful for that space, or annoyed that Loki was still playing out this old game of his in the smallest of ways.

“Aye.” Thor would gladly take the opportunity to search his brother out. He knew it was what Loki wanted, no matter the distance Loki put between them. “And would any know where he may be?” He was met with more silence and so turned to Heimdall.

The once-Gatekeeper’s golden eyes went unfocused for a brief moment. “Upper deck,” he finally replied. Some strange emotion flickered across his face, almost a hesitation.

Sharing in the sentiment silently, Thor nodded and took his leave. His walk through the cramped ship was quick. The few hundred Asgardians left filled every corner, mingling with Korg’s lot. He smiled at all of them, trying to look reassuring. Their returned nods and bows eased some of the heaviness about his chest. For all his many missteps in this new venture of being King, they seemed willing to forgive. Once he reached the upper deck he hesitated at the far end of the massive room. It was stunningly silent, an oddity but one he'd observed wherever Loki happened to be. The few stragglers returned Thor’s smiles, though their eyes darted nervously to far across the room, where a slim figure stood and stared out the wide port windows, framed by black space. The sight sent Thor's heart beating at an odd rhythm. Reluctantly, he approached Loki and steeled himself.

Before he could join his brother by the windows, Loki turned back to look at him. Thor noted how his eyes lingered on Thor’s eyepatch. Suddenly self aware, Thor tugged at the thing. It ripped Loki out of his stare. “And for what do I owe the honor?” The words were tentative, played with a hint of a bitter smirk.

“The Warriors Three--”

Loki's eyes lit up. “Ah, you know, I _was_ wondering where they were.” Loki mused, cutting him off. The statement made Thor wince but they did not seem malicious; more that he did not know their fate any more than Thor had. Thor’s stomach twisted as he prepared himself for the backlash. “That Volstagg hasn't worked his way through--”

“They're dead, Loki.” Thor watched his brother flinch and pale, whatever quip he’d prepared died on his barbed tongue. “They died when Hela invaded Asgard.” The words stuck in Thor’s throat and he coughed away his sudden huskiness.

Loki's hands tensed at his sides, balling into fists. He continued to stare at Thor, looking lost for words. His mouth hung open in a way that was almost comical, had Thor's heart not thudded so painfully in his chest. A strangled “ _oh_ ,” was all he managed before turning back to watch the expanse of space. “You’re sure?” Even as Loki posed the question, Thor could see he didn’t have any faith in it. With a force of will, Thor took his place beside Loki and laid a hand against his neck. He felt Loki’s shoulders bunch up at the touch. Loki shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Thor watched Loki, trying to guess his thoughts past the mask he'd put in place. The Warriors Three, Thor thought, had been both of their friends, though recent evidence suggested Loki had believed otherwise. Thinking back, their occasional casual cruelties must have wormed into Loki more than Thor could have anticipated. Still, friends or not, their presence had been constant for centuries. Thor thought, or perhaps selfishly hoped, that Loki felt some of his sorrow. Whatever it was Loki did feel over their demises, he hid it well.

A long moment of silence passed between them and Thor felt Loki's shoulders droop.

“But I did not seek you out for that news alone. Sif was not among them.” A petty scowl briefly crossed Loki's face and brought Thor a smile despite it all. There was something precious about the normalcy of seeing his brother annoyed by Sif’s mere mention. And with that normalcy, Thor let himself hope. “Heimdall says she lives but he cannot see her properly. Would you…” Thor trailed off. They had yet to speak long of Loki's time on the throne, it only came up in small snippets of advice Loki offered, the kind that could only come from experience.

To his relief, Loki didn't make him finish his ask. “I sent her away.”

“You banished her!?”

Loki looked insulted and slipped out from under Thor’s arm. “No!” He scoffed irritably. “The whole _point_ of occupying her was to assure she didn't sniff me out. Methinks _banishing_ her would've raised her ire enough to question my rule.” Jerking his head out to space, Loki took a breath and Thor saw him reel back his indignation. “Last I know she was in Alfheim, hunting a dragon of the mountains by my orders.”

Giddy with relief, Thor grabbed Loki by the arms and shook him. “Then we must find her and bring her home! Loki!” Electricity fizzled on the air. “Thank the Norns. I thought--” He heard Loki growl in his ear.

“Thor, off me!” Loki threw away Thor's grip and Thor saw him massage his hands, flexing his fingers. “Who are you going to leave in your place if we go traipsing off to Alfheim, hmm? You aren't a prince anymore, remember?” The chastising note in Loki's voice was more than slightly irritating.

“The leadership council, clearly.” The answer was obvious, Thor already mapped how they'd get to Alfheim, already could imagine Sif’s anger at realizing Loki lived. Already he prepared for how to tell her of what happened. But Loki looked unconvinced. “I have faith in them,” Thor shot defensively. “And Heimdall can aid them if need be.” Loki still did not answer. “She is of Asgard, there are so few of us left. Each life is precious.”

That got a reaction out of his brother, as Loki dropped his gaze to the floor.

Emboldened, Thor continued. “I would hope that your childish squabble shall not blind you to the fact that we need her. You must know that.” It was his turn to chastise. “Were this any other Asgardian I do not think you would hesitate so. Nor would you keep them hidden from Heimdall’s gaze.”

Loki snapped his head up, still not looking straight at Thor, and began to pace. “You _presume_ much. For a start, I am not the one hiding her. Not _every_ mess is my fault. But no, Thor, I hesitate because I am the only one on this ship that could be _near_ called qualified as a proficient healer. And there are still so many wounded.”

It took a moment for Thor to remember what Loki spoke of. Their sister’s attack had wiped out near all of the palace’s staff, including the healers, leaving their wounded without any skilled in healing seidr. And without the herbs needed for poultices that functioned as simple home remedies, the situation had been a dire one. Much to Thor’s surprise, it had been Loki who, likely influenced by the older Idunn of the leadership council, had swept up the wounded and ushered them away. Thor had not seen him outside of the makeshift healing bay for over two days after that.

And when Thor had visited the chambers, he’d been met by the odd sight of Loki being trailed by a small gang of Asgardians, old and young, all imitating his spellwork as he slowly healed the worst of the wounded. The moment had struck Thor so strangely that he’d needed to duck out and sequester himself in a secluded corner of the ship, so that the people would not see him laughing at its absurdity. Loki, though, had found him. It had taken Thor a fine few minutes of being glared at to compose himself enough to return.

“I thought you were training your… pupils to do that job.” Even the idea of Loki teaching was almost too strange to voice. But strange was their new bedmate, it seemed.

Thor watched Loki roll his eyes. “Yes, and I’ve taught them well.”He sounded briefly defensive. “But these things take _time_ , Thor.” Loki quirked his mouth to something close to a smile, annoyed as it was. “Not everyone can summon lightning storms on whim with no practice or discipline, you know.” His voice carried an envious note that made Thor uneasy.

Glancing to his hands, Thor returned the smile ruefully. “To be fair, I’ve been summoning lightning for centuries, there was just a hammer in the way.” Loki rolled his eyes again. “But that’s beside the point. I _need_ you, Loki.” The phrasing was a low ploy and Thor knew it; he guessed Loki did too. “Are there not any of your students able to take over your duties for a few days?”

The suspicious look Loki gave him was well earned. “Are you truly trying to win me over by simple…” Thor skewered Loki with an expectant gaze. From there, Thor watched him give in and throw his hands up with an expression of dismay that didn’t seem sincere. “Fine! Aye, I believe Saldis can keep the wounded well enough for a few days. You wish to find Sif, I’ll come.”

“Great!” Thor clapped him on the back. “I’ll go convince Valkyrie, she'll love it.”

At that, Loki laughed sharply. “She won’t want to go with me.”

“The temptation of getting off the ship should be enough to persuade her, I think. As well as the taste of drink outside of the Sakaar stuff we’ve got left. I think that overrides your squabble.” The soundness of his argument seemed to begrudgingly sway Loki.

“Fantastic,” Loki muttered darkly, stalking towards the stairs. “I’ll have _two_ warriors after my head by the end of this trip. Just what I’ve always wanted.” As Loki disappeared down the hall, Thor sighed with relief. After his brother, convincing Valkyrie would be easy.

He found her hacking into holographic foes, clearly a part of some strange game of the Grandmaster’s. Waiting by the side of the wide room, Thor watched her fight, reveling in the easy power of her swings. When the last of her foes had been vanquished, she stowed her blade and jogged to him, expression immediately slipping into boredom. “Your majesty.” She dipped her head, the words sounded a bit sarcastic.

Thor accepted the greeting despite that. If anyone had reason to put little trust in Asgard’s system, it was her. “I'm glad to see you here--”

“I'm only here because the asshole running the rations cut me off,” she snapped at him, more than slightly peeved.

Her indignation was what Thor had hoped for. “Yes well, what if I said I was going to Alfheim and I wanted you to come with. We could stop by some bars…” He trailed off, leadingly.

“I'm in.” The response was immediate and deadpan.

Thor smiled. “Excellent. I shall have Loki--”

“I'm out.” She shifted uncomfortably, scowling. “Not going with _him_ if I don't have to. Just bring me back some booze and we’ll be square.”

Not dissuaded, Thor smiled wider and hoped it looked sincere. He'd convinced Loki, this could not be any harder than that feat. “We’re going after my old friend, Sif.” He saw her gaze edge with curiosity and took it as a good sign. “Loki sent her there to fight a dragon.” Her eyebrows shot up and she leaned in close. “But it's time for her to come home.”

After a few seconds wherein she stared at him, chewing on her lip, she nodded. “Alright, I'm in again.” She poked him in the chest before he could thank her. “But we are stopping for drinks once we get her back, got it?”

“I swear on my remaining eye that it will be so.” Thor tapped his eyepatch. “Take a few hours to gather your things and meet us down in the hangar bay.”

She snorted at him and turned back to her work, slamming her fist against a button on the wall and summoning the holograms again. Though Thor longed to stay and watch, his job was not yet done.

It almost never was; Thor wondered daily if being king had always been this exhaustingly engaged or if the situation called for it. No better time would there be to ask Loki than in these next few days of rest. The idea was wholly exciting; this posed a chance to speak and get answers he longed for without the constant distractions of a ship full of people who relied on them every second of every day.

Could Thor forget what he'd learned, what hardship lay behind them and in front of them, he could almost pretend this to be just another adventure. But as his ruined eye itched again, Thor knew it was a fool’s errand to try and forget. Asgard had covered its past enough, he would not follow in those bloody footsteps.

He returned to the leadership council and found that they approved of his venture. Sif was not only an Asgardian, but a capable one and popular one, she was needed. After receiving their blessing, he went to the Hulk, who spent most of his days with Korg’s people. Thor tried not to linger on Banner’s warnings when the Hulk had not transformed back, though a pit of worry still boiled in his stomach whenever he saw his fellow Avenger. He could only hope that returning to Midgard would reign the Hulk in so that Banner could emerge. Thor did not fancy explaining to Stark where his scientist friend had gone did Banner not regain control.

“Thor! Come to fight?” The Hulk bounded up, knocking aside a strange bug like creature as he did.

Thor dodged his swing. “Not today, friend.” Waiting until the Hulk’s pout faded, Thor waved at Korg, who enthusiastically returned the gesture from across the room. When the Hulk had spent his complaining, Thor gave him a serious look. “I will be gone for a few days. There is a companion I must retrieve.” He hesitated for a moment, preparing for the Hulk’s displeasure at his next statement. “Valkyrie is going with me--”

“No!”

“Aye, but only for a few days!” Thor held his hands out, trying to placate. “Loki shall be going as well.” There was no protest there. “We shall bring you back something fine to smash, hmm? That sound good?”

Reluctantly, the Hulk nodded. “Must be very good to smash.”

“ _Very_ good, I assure you.” Before Thor could get trapped in a conversation he did not want, he excused himself and slipped away.

Thor spent his remaining hours organizing rations, taking note of the things they could carry off of Alfheim, and assuring that the leadership council could handle themselves without him. They took it in stride and that Thor felt no nervousness about leaving his people in their capable hands was a weight off his shoulders. What he'd do without them, he did not know. Heimdall promised to watch them and contact him if something went wrong. That too eased Thor's worries.

Packing little other than a change of clothes and an axe slung across his shoulder, Thor swung by the makeshift healing rooms to retrieve Loki. He turned the corner to watch Loki crouched low, clearly explaining something to a red haired boy that barely came up to his waist. A group of others, all of which Thor recognized as Aesir who had been hurt and healed, surrounded them; some of them mouthed words Thor knew had to be connected to their seidr. A few noticed him and glanced nervously down to Loki.

Warmth rose in Thor's chest when Loki nodded in approval as the boy spoke. There was a certain tenderness about him that Thor hadn't seen in decades as he put a hand on the boy’s shoulder and rose. The softness evaporated as he turned to see Thor, replaced instead by the shocked look of a elk in arrow sights. Stiffening, Loki turned back to his pupils and loudly cleared his throat. “I expect nothing out of place when I return,” the words were harsh but not overly so. They were followed seconds later by a second, much quieter statement that Thor guessed was not for him. “I have faith in all you, truly.” Loki turned on heel and strode to him, eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why are you smiling so?”

Doing nothing to try and hide his delight, Thor merely shrugged. “Am I not allowed to smile now? I was unaware.”

“No, you're not,” Loki snipped as the pair of them made for the ship's hangar.

That his brother had so seamlessly found a use for his better talents left Thor abuzz with delight as he held up his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, still smiling. “You do realize you have a chance to reshape how Asgard views seidr, Loki, don't you?” The idea struck him; after all that had been lost, Loki remained one of the few wellsprings of magical knowledge left to Asgard. It was a precarious position, one he hoped Loki could rise to.

His question did not seem to faze Loki, who merely shrugged nonchalantly, though Thor could not tell if the calm was sincere. “It does not escape me.” A look of dismay briefly crossed his face. “If only I’d been able to salvage some of the royal library’s books--”

“Loki,” Thor sighed.

But Loki was not stopping. Thor almost regretted bringing it up. His brother wrung his hands. “There were tomes dating back tens of thousands of years. Old knowledge even _I_ wasn't done translating. What I could accomplish with them! Do you know how hard it is to teach Aesir who never had _any_ respect for the craft without _books?!_ ”

This was more emotion than Thor had seen Loki express in weeks, it startled him. “Difficult, I assume.”

“Near impossible!” Loki exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “There's only so many times I can show them how to do something. Were I a lesser sorcerer-”

“Good thing you're the finest, then.” Thor watched Loki go pink at the compliment and quiet down, staring firmly into the middle distance.

They stayed that way until they reached the hangar, where Valkyrie was waiting with crossed arms. She stood before one of the many smaller ships around them. Her eyes flicked suspiciously to Loki before returning to Thor and softening. “Alfheim, is it? I've put the coordinates into the scout craft we’ll be calling ours for the next few days.” Thor nodded, following her up the ramp. Loki was close behind, still silent. A misty look cast across Valkyrie’s eyes for a second. “Gah, I haven't been there since I was with…” She trailed off, some old sorrow weighed on her shoulders.

Beside Thor, he saw Loki look up, some curious look flashing across his face. Though it faded as Loki glanced at him and quickly wiped the emotion away. Thor took his spot beside Valkyrie at the controls. Loki hovered around his chair. “Shall we go pick up our wayward Aesir?” Loki drawled, smirking down at him.

“Aye.”

The ship’s engines kicked into gear as the ground beneath Thor's feet began to shake. They left the ship behind and Thor couldn't help but look back. He returned his gaze to the horizon only when the ship that carried Asgard faded into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

If one good thing could be said about the journey to Alfheim, it would be that it was a short one. Loki sequestered himself in a corner of the craft, only occasionally poking fun at Thor’s flying skills; mostly, he appeared to fidget with nothingness, though Thor knew better. Whatever spellwork he wove, he was not divulging it on whim. Thor gave him the trust not to ask.

A begrudgingly sober Valkyrie was little more conversation. The closer they got to Alfheim, the quieter she became. Though she always leapt at all chances to show off her skill at weaving around space junk, especially when Loki was not buckled in. The loud crash and curses that always followed when she flipped upside down to avoid an asteroid never failed to make her laugh.

When they finally touched down in the middle of a grassy field, Thor felt near tears with relief. As they filed out, Thor took in vivid blue sky, the way the green grass rippled under their ship’s engines, the tall mountains that rose like monoliths, the chill on the air that left Thor shivering, and the smell of pine. Alfheim was just as he remembered it. The familiarity of it took his breath away.

A hand touched his back and Thor broke his awed vigil to see Loki scanning the horizon as well, something similarly nostalgic about his eyes. Their breath puffed white. “I always-” Loki's voice came out husky and he coughed it away. “I always hated Alfheim. Too lonely. Too _cold_.” Loki barked a strained laugh that echoed through the empty field as he pulled away from Thor. His giggles faded as he ruffled his hair and shook his head.

“Damn, Alfheim hasn't changed a bit.” Valkyrie sounded stunned as the rest of them. She knelt down and pressed her hands against the lush greenery. Thor watched as she closed her eyes and smiled with real delight. “I can't believe I missed _grass_ , of all things. I could hug a tree.”

With a pang of pity, Thor remembered just how long she'd been on the mechanical Hel of Sakaar. Turning back to the mountains, Thor let himself hope. “There's our destination, right, Loki?” Still obviously lost in his own thoughts, Loki nodded without looking at Thor or the mountains.

But a strangled sound rose from Valkyrie and the both of them swiveled to watch her. Thor caught an edge of dismay before she breathed deep and set her shoulders stiffly. “Let's get going.” She stared at the both of them challengingly. “Well?” Without waiting for their answer, she stalked past them into the treeline. “C’mon.”

Thor exchanged a look with Loki and didn't like the grim understanding he saw there. As they jogged to catch up, he muttered under his breath. “What do you know?” Before Loki could answer, he amended the question. “And don't say nothing.”

Leaping over a fallen pine, Loki shrugged. “I'm only making guesses. But it's not my place to share them. See, I quite enjoy having my head attached to my body and I think she'd revel in separating them if I shared.” The quiet answer surprised Thor out of further pressing the issue. Though it did not stop his imagination running. Loki had spent weeks on Sakaar before Thor, perhaps he'd learned something then. Or perhaps it had something to do with the discomfort between the pair that laid so heavy in the air.

The ground beneath them began to slope upwards and slowly grass gave way to sheer rock cliffs. It was at the base of one that they stopped. The climb seemed daunting, one Thor welcomed. “I should go firs...t.” Thor trailed off as Valkyrie took a running leap and crashed into the cliff face; in a few more seconds she'd swung her way even higher. Sighing, a little starstruck, Thor glanced back to Loki and held his hands out. “Then perhaps I should go last, in case one of you loosens the rocks. I would take the fall the easiest.”

Loki merely stared at him, frowning. “You'll only end up complaining I'm not going fast enough.”

Thor opened his mouth to argue but found no rebuttal. To escape the way Loki turned his frown into a smug grin, Thor followed Valkyrie up the cliff.

In retrospect, Thor guessed he should have taken the loss of one eye into account. More than once he had to backtrack after missing the proper foothold. That he had to swivel his head like a top to even keep up with Valkyrie annoyed him to no end. The longer he took on the stone the more it tore into his hands until each new handle, some of them made by Valkyrie, shot discomfort up his arms. Occasionally he would misjudge his footholds and send rock skittering down the cliff face directly onto Loki who was not quiet with his protests.

“We could have just flown up here, fool!” Loki spat at him as they took a short break on a thin outcropping large enough for the two of them. Valkyrie was still far above them.

Wiping sweat from his brow, Thor shook his head. He glanced down at his palms to find them bloodied. “Nay, has she not killed the dragon then such a thing would be a death sentence.” As Thor spoke, Loki snapped impatiently at his wrecked palms, which Thor held out for inspection, keeping his surprise veiled at the gesture. “And if she has…” Thor watched Loki inspect the ragged skin. With a wave of Loki's hand, the torn flesh mended itself. “Then the journey is just as important as the destination, hmm?”

The look of utter disgust Loki gave him was enough to send him up the cliff wearing a smile.

Hands newly mended, Thor quickly caught up to Valkyrie, who glanced back to nod at him. The chill of the air had settled deep into Thor's bones and his teeth chattered with the shivers that shook his body. The metal that covered his ruined eye grew painfully cold and it took all his willpower not to rip it off his face. His lungs stung with each breath; Loki had not been wrong about the cold, of that he was sure. But, finally, he pulled himself over the ridge. Only to find Loki sitting cross legged on a rock, smiling smugly down at them.

“What in Hel?” Valkyrie stared incredulously at him. “How’d you…”

“ _Me_ , greatest of Asgard’s sorcerers?” Loki held a hand to his chest and scoffed with haughtiness that unfortunately sounded only partially faked. “I have my ways. And I got sick of being assailed by rocks.” His smug grin only grew as Thor sighed.

Looking unimpressed, Valkyrie rolled her eyes. “Thanks for offering to help.”

But Loki just shrugged. “I assume you folk like this kind of thing. After all-” Loki locked eyes with Thor and Thor quietly groaned, knowing what was coming. “-the journey is just as important as the destination, no? A wise man once told me that, seems like yesterday.” Tutting, Loki stared with fake pensiveness out at the horizon.

Valkyrie seemed to waver between outrage and reluctant amusement as she glanced between them.

“ _Anyway_ ,” Thor felt a bit like wrangling children as he turned them to the flatter mountain ridge around them. What had been freezing had settled into a pleasant chill; he guessed the explanation was magical, some- hopefully leftover- enchantment of the dragon. He saw no such dragon and no Sif, but a wooden house sat nestled among the young, bone white trees that dotted the mountainside. Smoke poured from its chimney. Uncertainty crept its way through Thor and he found himself unable to step forward.

“This is all new,” Valkyrie murmured. “Damn dragon must have wiped out the old forest.” Why she cared, Thor knew not; but the bitterness in her tone was unmistakable.

It shook Thor from his fears and he stepped forward. Loki fell into step beside him, face a cool mask. Knocking against the door after a long moment of doubt, Thor waited.

A young Alfish man with strikingly blonde hair opened the door and Thor's heart sank. The boy was joined by his parents moments later. The father frowned at them. “Hullo?”

Thor tried to speak but found his tongue stuck uncooperatively to the roof of his mouth. He could feel all eyes on him but his mutism wouldn't cease. Disappointment caught his throat utterly.

The hope that he had kept in his chest fluttered weaker than before.

“We,” Loki took over where Thor failed, dipping his head in a respectful gesture. “Are searching for someone.” The Light Elves exchanged confused frowns but Loki continued. “An Asgardian warrior. By the name of Sif. She was sent here to slay a dragon.” Before Loki finished, the family's eyes lit up with delighted recognition.

“Sif, yes! She was here.” The woman nodded feverously, searching them over with new interest. “She did slay the dragon, that's how we live here now. Are you her friends?”

A wry smile flickered across Loki's face. “Something of that measure.”

“She was hoping you would return for her after the Bifrost did not.” The woman sighed happily and Thor saw Loki's smile sharpen at the irony. “Please, please, come inside.”

When the Alfish boy took his hand, Thor found his voice. _This was a waste of time; if Sif were not here then they must move on. Every second left them farther from Asgard._ “Your hospitality is appreciated but we could not possibly--” Two different elbows assaulted his sides before he could deny the Elves. Valkyrie was safe in his blind side so he settled with glaring at Loki, who smiled genially at their hosts.

“That would be lovely,” Loki practically purred, an obvious ploy to override Thor's rudeness. “You would not happen to know where she went after she… solved your dragon problem?”

If the Elves noticed Loki's over generous tone, they didn't act against it. The man made for a kettle sitting over the fire. “We can discuss over tea.”

Clearing her throat, Valkyrie eyed the cabin. “How ‘bout beer? Got any of that?”

“Er… I must apologize, my lady, but we have none at the--”

Valkyrie dipped into a small scowl momentarily, held up a hand, and took a step back towards the door. “Got it. I'll be outside if you need me. Keep watch or whatever.” She didn't wait for a response as the door slammed shut behind her. Thor groaned internally.

The silence that followed was stifling.

It was the whistling kettle that broke the moment. The Elves kept back to action, bustling cups of tea into Thor and Loki's clutches with thin smiles.

The hot tea warmed Thor's cold hands and the scent of mint tickled his nose. He cradled the cup close. “Many thanks.” The five of them sat around a small wooden table, Thor perched precariously on the edge of the tiny chair. “So Sif slew the dragon that made this peak its home?”

Nodding enthusiastically, the boy sipped his tea. “Yes! The mountain shook with their battle and fire lit the night sky for three days but she emerged victorious and brought down the dragon’s head to show her good work. I think it still sits in the tavern at the base of the mountain.” Thor smiled at the image, pride warming his chest. “After that, when the Bifrost didn't scoop her up-” Beside Thor, Loki shifted and stared down at the wood grain with utmost intent. Thor imagined he looked guilty, though the likelihood of that was slim. “She helped us move back up here.”

“And after that?” Thor prompted, trying not to sound as impatient as he felt. He toyed with the rim of his tea but didn't drink it. “When did you last see her?”

The Elves exchanged a thoughtful moment. It was the man who answered. “Last I heard she was helping out the village.”

Raising his cup to his lips, Loki quirked an eyebrow. “That would be where?”

“Why,” the woman motioned eastward. “Down the mountain path. How did you get up here without passing by it?”

Thor felt heat rise in his cheeks and glanced to Loki, who nervously raised his cup to his lips to avoid answering. Glaring at him for the abandonment, Thor stood. “Many thanks for your hospitality and for taking care of Sif. But we should be going. It is imperative we find her quickly.” Kicking Loki's leg under the table, Thor urged him up.

The Light Elves saw them out and then they were alone on the mountain top again. Though Thor could feel the child’s eyes watching him from the cabin’s windows. Loki smirked. “So, no more climbing for us.”

“If you knew about this trail and didn't tell me I'll throttle you,” Thor threatened, poking Loki's chest accusingly.

Loki gasped theatrically, prying his hand away. “No, _never_. Besides, I thought you liked a little challenge.” Loki's grin was knowing and smug even as Thor guessed he'd not had any more knowledge of the path any more than the rest of them had.

“Let's just go get Valkyrie.” Well aware he would lose any argument that followed, Thor turned away and scanned the mountain ridge. He found her kneeling silently by a scorched rock, far along the ridge. The sight was a strange one, he'd rarely seen her so still. Uneasy, Thor glanced back to Loki and saw his smile slip into a cold mask that hid his thoughts.

Reluctantly approaching, Thor stayed quiet as he peered over her shoulder. On her lap lay her unsheathed sword, one hand clutch its hilt tight. The other hand traced a carving on the rocks that looked ancient. The runes were faint, blurred by the wear of time. But Thor could read the two names that she lingered upon: Brunhilde and Ama.

Behind Thor, Loki's breath hitched.

Valkyrie tensed at the sound but slipped back to her vigil moments later. She sighed, a sound that carried the weight of years far beyond Thor. “I… I miss them. Miss _her_.”

Thor's mouth went dry as he watched Valkyrie grieve. “I'm…” A lump caught in Thor's throat. Looking up at the sky, he imagined he could see Asgard’s stars. With a cold jolt, he realized the fallen Valkyrior had likely never gotten any, their deaths being instead swept under the rug by his father with Hela. His eye stung. He heard Loki's footsteps draw away hastily and found his voice. “Loki. Loki, wait.” Turning away from Valkyrie, he followed and left her in peace.

Loki had stopped precariously close to the steep edge of the mountain cliff and stared down at the drop. Nervous, Thor inched close. Loki's shoulders shuddered. “Thor,” his voice ached through Thor's bones. Taking his naming as an invitation to approach, Thor put a hand on Loki's neck. “I still can't… can't believe they're dead. It doesn't seem right. None of it.” Under his hand, Loki felt as if he were ready to collapse into matchsticks.

Feeling struck, Thor managed a nod. Thor could not guess whether his brother spoke of their friends or of Odin and Frigga. Perhaps both. “I know.” His lungs struggled and he tried to will the knot in his chest away.

“We’re _alone_. Thor- how are we-- last time… ” Raw seidr strained the thin mountain air as Loki shook his head. Thor could taste the manifesting sorrow on his tongue, cold and sharp like the freshest spring water, or first snow. It hummed through the air in a dangerous, invisible wave.

He pulled Loki closer hesitantly. When Loki didn't protest, he spoke. “Not alone.” Thor tried again to clear his throat and failed. Loki fixed him with a cautious look but said nothing. “We’re not alone. There's Asgard, Heimdall, Sif, once we find her.” The list was painfully short. And the lost numbered far too long to name. The tears Thor held back threatened to spill.

Loki made a sharp, bitter sound on the back of his throat.

“And you have me. And I, you.” Thor tightened his grip on Loki and subtly pulled him from the edge of the cliff. “We’re family. And I'm all the gladder for it.”

Something close to a laugh escaped Loki as he turned his head from the ground to the sky. “When I'm not trying to kill you.” The edges of a smirk twisted Loki's lips. The seidr that had pulsed around them died as Loki fell into steady breaths.

Shocked from the moment, Thor smiled wryly. “Yes, well… the past is allowed to be the past when one finally puts it behind them.”

Loki opened his mouth, likely to snap some reply, but the words seemed to die on his tongue and he merely sighed. The wind howled low around them. Finally, Loki found his voice. “The Warriors Three- we should…” Loki ducked from under Thor's arm and Thor watched as he plucked a thin branch from one of the pale young trees. He fiddled with the branch for a few moments before returning and holding it out. Strange runes Thor did not recognize were carved into the wood. “Their names,” Loki supplied. “Written in an old tongue, laced in seidr.”

Running his fingers over the runes, Thor imagined he could feel a sort of power emanating from them. “What is it you wish to do?” Though Thor didn't understand, he saw the cautious reverence with which Loki handled the runes.

Pointing out towards the horizon, Loki spoke softly as if worried he'd disturb the dead. “They… surely had no proper funeral.” His eyes narrowed a fraction. “Though they'd likely not want one from _me_.”

Wincing, Thor shook his head, understanding what it was Loki wanted to do but denying him the bitterness he held. “You were their friend too. They would have considered it an honor.” Loki had no reply, only the slightest twitch near his left eye. Not that Thor expected any.

Thor held the wood into the open air. Beside him, Loki murmured words that thrummed with seidr. The white branch burst into pale flames that felt cold against Thor's palm. Sparks from the fire rose high into the blue sky, defying the tug of the wind.

Loki's chant hitched as, for the briefest moment, Thor felt a presence around him and something like peace but before he could grasp it, the presence disappeared and the fire died.

All was silent, save the wind.

Thor retracted his hand, staring at his unmarred fingers. He wiped at his good eye and found it damp. “Thank you.” Without turning to his brother, Thor clapped him across the back. “Thank you for doing this with me. For being here. For… not leaving.”

Loki nodded, his eyes fluttering shut at the words, but he said nothing, his face still turned to the sky.

Footsteps shuffled behind them and Thor turned to see Valkyrie watching them, hands on her hips. Her eyes were red rimmed but her face was stoic. “Alright, you promised a bar. I'm cashing that chip now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter next week


	3. Chapter 3

The journey down the mountainside path was a far easier one than their climb up. And the town itself was small. Light Elves who populated it watched them with open curiosity, looking only marginally surprised to see Asgardians among them. It startled Thor, though he had little time to contemplate, as Valkyrie pulled them towards the tavern.

While the town was small and quiet, its tavern was not. As the evening hours loomed, the tavern filled with travelers, some Vanir, more Light Elves with weapons at their sides. They barely gave Thor and crew a second glance. It was a relief.

Above the hearth Thor admired the dragon skull that was Sif’s legacy. It was a massive thing, its horns had to be twice the length of Thor's forearm. Even bleached and long dead he could see the menace in it. Flooded with pride, Thor couldn’t help but smile. Sif’s work was fine as ever; he'd mention it when they found her.

Valkyrie slammed her hand hard against the wooden countertop and brought him from his thoughts. “I need something strong. Now.” The bartender stared at her, alarmed. Her scowl, though, was enough to send him hastily back to his duty.

Knowing she need be left to her vices, Thor turned away. “Loki, we should…” His brother was gone from his side. Annoyed but not all that shaken, Thor swiveled around the tavern until he found Loki sitting among a table of hardened looking Vanir and Alfir who seemed in the middle of a card game. The smile Loki wore was sly. Shouldering his way over to Loki, Thor growled in his ear, more than slightly offended by the quick abandonment. “What are you doing?”

Loki didn't answer as he flicked his wrist and summoned a dagger, its hilt inlaid with a brilliant rainbow of precious gems. He watched the Vanir with sharp eyes, holding it out to be appreciated. “How's this for a wager? Made of the finest metals Asgard can offer; forged in the fires of Muspelheim and cooled with the snow from these very mountains.” The firelight glinted off the near white blade and, as Loki spoke, Thor recognized the weapon with a jolt of discontent. Loki's smile stretched wider and crueler as he tossed the dagger high in the air and caught it deftly. “The gems are of Asgard, Vanaheim, and Alfheim; the finest of their kind. The blade itself is coated in enchantments to ensure it is ever sharp as well as many others that need not mentioning here. Its set is one of a kind. I would be a fool to attempt to price it. But you all, however...” He stuck the dagger solidly in the wood with a ‘ _ thunk _ ’, where it stayed, glittering.

The Vanir stayed silent for a long moment, considering his offer. Finally the lead of the table, a dark eyed Vanir man, nodded. “Fine, Asgardian. We’ll take your wager.”

As cards were passed Loki's way and the dagger joined the pile of gold and valuables that sat in the center of the table, Thor knelt next to Loki. “What are you doing? Isn't that one of the daggers father gifted you for your ascension to adulthood?”

Not looking up from his cards, Loki quirked his lips. “Oh, is it? I hadn't noticed,” he said sarcastically under his breath.

“But why would you risk losing something so precious for a game?” Thor watched Loki place a card face down on the table, looking disinterested.

Though he broke his mask a second later to glare at Thor while the Vanir played their hands. “Do  _ you _ have the gold to pay for food or drink? Because I certainly don't.”

Thor blinked. “I hadn't thought--”

“Clearly. Asgard isn't exactly  _ wealthy  _ anymore, brother. But we must pay our way somehow.” Muttering, Loki glanced back to watch one of the Vanir place a card over his. Without turning, Loki put down another card. His glare softened. “Go… win some drinking contest, Thor. Doing the dirty work doesn't suit you.” He sounded tired in a way that made Thor frown.

“But something so valuable to you--”

“Oh, for the love of-” Loki slammed his cards down and pulled Thor close by the collar. “I don't plan on losing,  _ fífl _ . Go, I'll join you soonish.” Releasing him, Loki returned to the game and dropped his whisper. “My apologies, he is uniquely talented in the art of not taking hints.”

The Vanir laughed at his expense and Loki joined in, though Thor couldn't tell how true the malice in his tone was. In order to avoid further insults, Thor left Loki to his tricks. They were, at least, constructive.

“Hey, Asgardian!” A rough voice called out from Thor’s blind spot. He turned cautiously, unwilling to invite the kind of squabble that was so common in taverns. A dark skinned Vanir woman watched him; she raised her mug high in the air. “Here!” As she shouted, she jostled the oak chair beside her, some of her drink sloshing as she did.

Taking her offer out of curiosity, Thor lowered himself into the seat. Up close, she smelled of drink but her green eyes still held enough sharpness to keep Thor wary. “Greetings.” He dipped his head.

Her gaze raked across him, cleverer than the ale she held would make him assume. “Don't get many Asgardians anymore. What, y’re king finally remember how much he likes you lot parading over us?”

Bristling at the insult, Thor glanced to Loki for the briefest second. “I'm sorry that you-” he started as he turned back, “sound so inconvenienced by it. I should think…” trailing off, Thor's heart went cold.  _ They didn't know. About Asgard. About any of it. _ And he was king now, it was his job to inform the other realms of Asgard’s fall.  _ But how could he even start? Midgard first, there he felt most comfortable. The rest would come in time. _

The Vanir either ignored or didn't notice his hesitation. “Yeah, it's been ages. Last time… oh, that warrior woman who hung around the village. She was hot stuff, that one.” Taking a swig of her drink, the woman eyed nothingness appreciatively. “Wish she'd stuck around.”

“Wait, you met Sif? How long ago?” Newly interested, Thor leaned forward. “Where'd she go?”

His fevor seemed to surprise her as she choked briefly on her drink. When she recovered, she eyed him again, this time with a small scowl. “What's it to you?

“I'm her friend. She's needed.” Unwilling to provide further explanation, Thor pushed his inquiry again. “Do you know where she went?”

An argument from behind them interrupted the woman’s next words. She grinned, looking past Thor. “That your friend too?” Thor turned to watch Loki standing and sweeping the table of valuables while the Vanir around him shouted in disbelief. “ _ Lucky _ . Ragnar almost never loses.”

Thor watched Loki twist his wrist and Odin’s gifted dagger disappeared back into thin air. Sighing with relief and more than a little delight at the much needed victory, Thor turned back to her. “You could call it luck.” 

The woman caught his meaning and grinned wide, waggling an eyebrow. “Ah, I see. At least you're not the usual stuck up kinda Asgardians, then.” She took a sip from her mug and her eyes seemed to soften on him. When she spoke again, she was no longer so questioning. “Sif, yeah. She was here till about a season ago. Alfheim, all the realms really, have been seeing a lot more trade with out of realm buyers, ‘specially since Asgard dropped off the map.” She squinted at his discomfort. “Anyways, she went with them. I dunno much about off realm stuff, though, we don't ask questions. Could be anywhere by now, I suppose. You'd need someone who's been up there to really help.” She shrugged. “Or you could wait till the next trader ship comes by. It'll probably be next spring.”

Her casual tone made none of the information less discouraging. “We cannot wait that long.” 

The woman made a ‘ _ tsk _ ’ sound in the back of her throat. “Then you're shit outta luck, Asgardian.”

“We’ll see.” Thor stood, watching as Loki sat beside Valkyrie at the bar. Gold glinted in his hand. _ If any knew of what lurked beyond the realms… _ Dipping his head to the Vanir, Thor smiled. “My sincerest thanks.”

As he moved away, she called out. “Thank me by buying me a drink, Asgardian! And if you find that Sif chick, tell her I said hey!” She laughed as Thor waved a hand and the sound cut bright through the arguments of the tavern. It'd been long enough since Thor had heard unburdened laughter. His smile widened into sincerity at the sound.

That optimism hadn't faltered by the time he returned to Loki and Valkyrie, who were drinking, separated by a single seat, silent as could be. Thor took the seat, though immediately felt that was a bad idea. He nudged Loki and jerked a thumb back towards the Vanir woman. “I owe her a drink. Would you--”

Loki waved a dismissive hand. “I saw. I dealt with it.”

Indeed, as Thor saw the woman receive a mug and raise it in a silent toast. Thor smiled back at her. “Thank you,” he muttered as he returned his attentions to Loki. His brother merely took a drink. Unwilling to dredge up ghosts yet, Thor turned to Valkyrie. “How long were you on Sakaar.”

From her mug, Valkyrie glared half-heartedly at him. “Err… probably… a few thousand years. It gets hard to count after a while.”

“You never traveled anywhere else?”

She shrugged. “For a little while. Xandar, a few other planets. But that was all before Sakaar. Once you get to Sakaar--”

“You never leave.” Thor echoed the words he’d heard. “I see.” Reluctantly, he turned to Loki, who no doubt had heard all of his conversation by the way he curled in on himself. Whenever Thor brought up Sakaar, Loki seemed to shut down. It was a strange tick he'd noticed but couldn’t yet find a reason for. “Loki…” Thor started, cautiously. “What of you? How much do you know what lies beyond the realms themselves?”

Loki twitched in his cups, shoulders tensing only for the briefest second before he looked to Thor. “I had no chance to leave Sakaar. Must I repeat what you just said--”

“No, not Sakaar.”

“Oh?” Loki faked innocence.

That Loki was forcing him to say the obvious made Thor grit his teeth with annoyance. “You know full well-” he took a breath, steadying the indignation in his voice. Arguing would get them nowhere. “Before that. Before… New York. When you… fell.” The memory ached deep in Thor's heart. “How much did you learn then?”

There was a stretched pause before Loki answered. Thor saw a dangerous shadow pass over his eyes and his features seemed to sharpen just for a moment. He traced the lip of his drink with one long finger. “Some.” He looked away, eyes thin to slits. “Enough.”

“Loki,” Thor said, almost pleading. The last thing he needed was for one of Loki’s fits of vagueness to surface. “Sif went on a trader ship off realm. I do not know anyone else who's been in between the realms for a long period of time besides you.” He glanced to Valkyrie. “And Valkyrie has only been on Sakaar. But you weren't, were you? Or you would have never made it off to Midgard.” 

It was impossible to forget the image of Loki when he'd appeared on Midgard those few years ago; thin, muscle and bone, pale as death, taut as a wire, angry beyond reason with feral eyes and a brutal sneer. The cruel remnants remained, Loki's already pale pallor never quite recovered, he still fought in strange and vicious ways that Thor had never seen him learn, and the old anger still flashed like fire in his eyes when Thor spoke poorly. “If Sif is out there…”

“I didn't get much  _ sightseeing _ done, Thor,” Loki snapped. That anger reared its head. But then it was gone, as Loki took another drink. Thor heard him breathe deep through his nose and seemingly exhaled a heavy weight as he set the drink down. “If she's smart and not  _ overly  _ unlucky, she'll be fine.” He sounded dismissive and distant as he always did when avoiding some unpleasant memory.

Though Thor longed to know the truth of  _ why _ , why Loki had done such things, why and  _ how _ he'd changed so dramatically, now seemed not the time.  _ There would be another, _ Thor thought. “I have faith in that, then. But could we find her out there? Could you?”

In a swift movement, Loki downed his drink. He grimaced and slid the glass across the bar. “Another.” The bartender nodded. After a second, Loki glanced to Thor. “Another two, one for him.” He amended. Thor pursed his lips, Loki never favored drinking outside of Asgard’s safe halls. But he had drink in hand when Thor had seen him in Sakaar. Thor glanced to Valkyrie in time to see her beat a beefy Light Elf in what appeared to be a match of shots; the strange planet truly did warp them all. The drinks came and finally Loki spoke. “If you could find out the who owns the trade vessels, aye.”

It was not much of a reassurance, but Thor accepted Loki's answer and reluctantly let his questions fall away. They lapsed into silence despite how Thor struggled to find some easy conversation. Every topic he tried, Loki answered with short sentences; Thor felt he was being purposefully duped.

Much to his relief, Valkyrie intervened, grinning wide. She slammed her elbow down beside him. “Thor, arm wrestle, now!” Despite that he could smell the alcohol on her breath, her eyes were only faintly fogged.

Chuckling, and a bit giddy at the challenge, Thor complied and they stared each other down. “Loki,” Thor said, not turning away from Valkyrie’s stare. “Count us down.”

He could practically feel Loki roll his eyes. “If you must. On three. Three.” Valkyrie squeezed Thor's hand tight; her grip was astonishing. “Two.” Thor squeezed back, not to be outdone. Valkyrie’s grin widened. “One.” Loki slammed his hand against the wood with a loud ‘ _ thump _ .’

Valkyrie laughed and surged forward in the same instant Thor did. For a moment, they were suspended like that. Thor licked his lips under the strain that built in his arm, amazed at her strength. For a second, he gained the upper hand and her grin faltered. From the corner of his vision, Thor saw Loki watching the contest with a faintly amused smile. The genuine nature of it made Thor's chest pang.

But he paid for his distraction, as Valkyrie pushed him back and his hand tipped dangerously towards the wood. Her grin returned, wilder than ever. They locked eyes again. “I'm impressed,” she muttered, voice only slightly warped by strain. Thor thought of some snappy reply, but couldn't force it from him. 

In that instant, Valkyrie grunted and slammed Thor's arm down against the wood. She crowed with victory, releasing him and throwing her hands up. “Oh baby! Still got it!” She kissed her bicep theatrically.

It made Thor's heart flutter.

Beside him, Loki made a small sound that wavered between thinly veiled amazement and outright laughter. Thor turned to see him watching her with wide eyes and a bit of a blush.

Too star struck to feel embarrassed, Thor grinned, open mouthed, as she knocked back her drink. Either oblivious to both of their awe, or uncaring, Valkyrie turned her eye on Loki and stuck her hand out. “You wanna go?”

“I- uh--” Loki looked briefly tongue-tied; it was enough to make Thor chuckle. Heat rising to his face, Loki snapped his mouth closed, shook his head, and pulled his best smirk. “I do not think you'd appreciate my methods.”

Valkyrie snorted. “You mean cheating?” Her eyes glimmered with mirth and drink

Loki's smirk widened, showing teeth. “Perhaps.” The pair exchanged laughter for the first time that Thor had seen. 

“I figured you for a certified asshole, but,” Valkyrie winked at Loki, who’s smile slimmed, “you bought our drinks so you can't be all bad.” She held her nearly empty mug out.

Thor winced, watching Loki carefully.

But Loki clinked her glass with his. “And I was told the Valkyrior were pillars of virtue. Clearly things are not all they were promised on either side.” Loki's eyes were green slits but his smile was again wide.

The insult made Thor stiffen but Valkyrie only laughed harder, doubling over. When she recovered, she slid her mug along the bar. “Ha! Maybe so. But you're still a… vargdropi. Haven't got to use that in a while. No one on Sakaar got those insults.” Snickering, her eyes flickered down to Loki's abandoned drink and in an instant it was in her hand. Loki made an angry sound. But she winked again. “What’re you gonna do, stab me with one of those fancy hidden daggers? Nice trick, by the way.”

Loki's anger turned instantly into the hints of delight at her praise. It took all of Thor's might not to be envious; a compliment from Valkyrie was precious as any gem. 

Noticing his smile, she quickly backtracked. “Don't let that go to your head. I… didn't mean it.” She made no attempt to sound convincing in that denial.

“Who ever does,” Loki shot, his smile returning to something dry.

They lapsed into a silence that was almost comfortable. The beer wasn't the finest, but with food it filled Thor well enough and the alcohol seemed to work magic on the strain between his companions. He noted that, for further use.

Though, when their silence was finally broken, Valkyrie started to look vague and unsteady as she leaned forward on her stool. “Y’know, I've been wondering… I mean, I know it's because you got a pretty face.” As she spoke, Loki blinked in surprise and pink rose again to his cheeks. It wasn't everyday a childhood crush said such things. 

Thor couldn't keep his jealousy back this time.  _ Valkyrie hadn't called  _ him _ pretty. _ He took a moment to wrestle with his childish envy. 

And Valkyrie kept talking, swaying in her chair and skewering Loki with a wobbly, curious look. “Other than that, though. What did it for the old guy? How'd you manage to get to him so quickly?” Loki's smile faltered, like a light extinguished. “I  _ mean _ … I know you got some people out of the way first but- but for a guy like him- sex isn't even that big a deal but, uh…” Loki went pale, save the pink on his cheeks. Thor dropped his internal struggle, processing Valkyrie’s words with some difficulty. He glanced between her and Loki, who’s eyes darted wildly. And she kept talking. “ _ Anyone _ can fuck but- to keep the Grandmaster’s attention--”

“Shut up.” And suddenly, Loki was standing. His voice echoed with seidr and the tavern fell silent. Had he been pink before, he was burning now. Thor stared at him, something close to anger rising deep from his chest as he tried to understand what she meant- why Loki had reacted like that.

Valkyrie seemed so surprised at his outburst that she went quiet

Suddenly oddities of Sakaar made, terrible, terrible sense as some awful thought clicked into place in Thor's head. “Wait, Lo--”

Loki turned on him, quick as a snake. “ _ What? _ ” He made the word sound less of a question and more a threat. 

“You didn't…”

If possible, Loki flushed a deeper shade of red as he balled his fists at his side. “ _ You _ fought for him.”

“I fought  _ against _ him. But…” Thor grimaced;  _ surely not. _ “You- he--” Thor’s stomach clenched, thinking of the mad ruler’s hungry eyes. At the way they'd gotten hungrier as they turned on Loki. At the time, Thor had thought- He didn’t know what he’d thought. Perhaps it was some joke that Loki had sprung. It had to be. Why would Loki--

Loki set his jaw. “Do you want me to say it?” His tone pitched venomously as the shame poorly hidden in his eyes hardened to something sharper. It gave Thor all the proof he needed that this was no jest. Loki's lips curled into a sneer. “Shall I tell you how he tasted? Or perhaps you want me to tell you how he liked me to--”

“No,  _ no! _ Loki, stop!” Thor found himself wheeling wildly from Loki, who bared down on him, all teeth and hissing anger.

Stopping his advance quickly as he started it, Loki stood stock straight and turned his glare on Valkyrie, who'd been utterly silent. “I see; humiliate me. A  _ dirty _ tactic for a warrior, even a drunkard like you.” Without another word, Loki swept from the tavern. The oaken door slammed behind him and the glasses on the wall shook.

The dragon skull rattled dangerously.

It took Thor too long to jump after Loki. When he opened the door and squinted past the frigid night wind, Loki was nowhere to be seen. There was a sick pit in Thor's stomach as he turned back into the tavern. He could see Valkyrie wavering on guilt.

Wrapping her fingers around what had been Loki's drink, Valkyrie chewed on her bottom lip. “Thought you knew,” she muttered as Thor stared at her. “Thought it was obvious.”

“I--” Thor sucked in a breath, trying to calm his nausea. “How long?” Valkyrie made a confused noise. “How long was he- were they…” Thor pinched the bridge of his nose.  _ Loki had said he'd found his way into the ruler’s favor, Thor hadn't imagined that meant… _

“Oh, I…” Valkyrie trailed off, eyes unfocused, but she snapped back moments later. “Listen… I tried to avoid the Grandmaster whenever possible. He paid my bills, that was it. Way I remember- your brother wasn't there one day, then he was practically hanging off the Grandmaster’s arm the next, all dolled up. I don't even know where he came from- how I missed him.” Tapping her fingers against the wood, she rolled her shoulders. “He wasn't very popular with the Grandmaster’s other… toys- dolls- whatever they were called; too smart at the game, all the others were idiots. Pretty sure he got a few others on the chopping block; on purpose or not, I don't know.” She frowned at the door. “You think he'll come back?”

With an uncomfortable jolt, Thor remembered how Loki had suggested he could get Thor out of the arena. At the time, Thor had ignored the offer. Now, he wondered just what Loki had meant to do to ensure that. Though, he tried not to wonder too hard. It was a failing venture. He couldn't shake the ghost of the Grandmaster’s stare, it bore through him and he could taste bile at the thoughts surrounding it. “I hope that madman was torn apart by his own rabble,” Thor growled. “Because if I ever see him again I’ll rip his arms from his body.” The tavern that had been so warm before felt stiff and still. Pacing, Thor looked from the door to Valkyrie. 

_ If Loki was willing to do- do what he did, all for survival, then what else would he do? What else had he done that remained hidden? _

Valkyrie broke his concentration with a hand on his shoulder. Standing a bit hesitantly she nevertheless kept his gaze. “Do you wanna go after him? Because I can get beer for the road.” She jerked her thumb behind her. “Also, uh…” Frowning, she watched him with surprising urgency. “I realize I might have screwed this up. I didn't want that, even if he is a jerk.”

He could see her chewing on the inside of her cheek. A part of him wanted to accuse her of just that, of failing. But instead he shook his head. “It’s not your fault- it’s- it’s no one’s.” There was no point blaming her, or him, or Loki, much as he wanted to point fingers. At best he could blame the Grandmaster, who was farther away than he could imagine. Thor desperately hoped he'd stay that way. “As for Loki,” he looked back to the door. “If he does not wish to be found, he shall not be. He’ll be back by morning. He came back before. He’ll come back now.” At least, Thor hoped so. And hoped Loki wouldn’t find- or make- some trouble in his state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week's update. And with finals done with writing can take top priority for the next few weeks. I very much appreciate the kind comments they make my day.


	4. Chapter 4

Early morning fog misted around the ship as Thor waited with Valkyrie in silence, more nervous than he was willing to admit.  _ Loki would come back. He had to.  _ They’d started this journey to find a friend not lose one. After what felt an eternity a figure emerged from the treeline and Thor could tell by the way it held itself that it was Loki. 

Beside Thor, Valkyrie sighed. “I'm guessing you'll wanna talk to him. I'll be ready to go when you are.” Following the plan they’d formulated once Valkyrie sobered up, she hopped back into the ship without another word and left him alone. Feeling only minorly guilty about planning with her behind Loki’s back, Thor’s mind raced for something to occupy him. He tried to act busy as Loki approached, checking the ship for nicks and scratches with utmost scrutiny. But he couldn’t keep from occasionally glancing to watch Loki’s progress.

He'd spent more time than he'd  _ ever _ wished to considering what Loki had done. All that was left was hoping Loki would see this conversation through.

“If you’re going to make at ignoring me for my own sake, get better at it. I’m not some ignorant  _ skreyja _ , Thor.” Loki snapped in his ear, clearly annoyed but otherwise devoid of his previous rage. Wincing at his failed tact, Thor turned to Loki and crossed his arms, attempting some casual pose as he leaned against the ship. He quickly searched Loki for any signs of wrongdoing and found none. Though his quick inspection seemed to annoy Loki further. “Are you quite done?”

It took Thor more effort than he wished to meet Loki’s eye. “No,” he managed. Loki scowled but Thor spoke on before he could complain. “I can’t  _ not  _ address this, brother. It worries me.”

“You know, Thor, out of all my countless crimes against the order of the Nine Realms themselves- including just-” Loki gestured wildly at himself “-just  _ being  _ as I am-” Thor flinched at the briefly vicious look on Loki's face. “I did not think that the one you’d be so hung up on would be who I choose to sleep with. You never have before when I've made my… varied preferences clear.” As Thor watched, Loki made an attempt to resurrect his old, emotionless mask, clearly noticing Thor's reaction to what he'd said.

“Don’t do that.” At Thor’s words, Loki blinked out of the mask, settling for a small frown. Emboldened by the success, Thor pushed forward. “It’s not about your pref-- it's about  _ who  _ and _ why _ .” Shifting uncomfortably, Thor breathed out through his nose.  _ Out of all the conversations he'd ever expected to have with his estranged brother--  _ “I admit, it did not make me…  _ happy _ to hear. Mostly, at first, because from what I saw the Grandmaster was a crazed, monster of a man with no regard for anything or anyone beyond his own wants. You clearly put yourself in serious danger.” Loki crossed his arms, looking away. “Though, admittedly also because you're my brother and I don't much care to think about…” Thor pulled a small smile, hoping Loki would reciprocate. “You know…”

Still looking away, Loki rolled his eyes. “If you don't want to think about it then  _ why _ are you still talking?” he muttered under his breath, sounding remarkably petulant.

“Because you  _ are _ my brother and it's my sworn duty to make you uncomfortable.” That got Loki's lips to twitch. “But the more I thought about it, because- by the way you reacted- it wasn't a pleasant experience.  _ That _ causes me more anguish than anything.” Thor pushed off the ship and took a few steps towards Loki, who had started staring resolutely at the lush grass. “Hiding things from each other has resulted in nothing but misery and blood, you know that as well as I.” He hesitated at putting a hand on Loki's shoulder.

Finally, Loki looked up. Something like guilt flashed across his face, though Thor could only guess the at source. “Perhaps.” He rubbed a hand across his cheek. “The Grandmaster-- It didn't matter how I felt-- it wasn't  _ entirely _ unpleasant.” Thor grimaced and Loki cleared his throat quickly. “Never mind, I am  _ not _ going to discuss details with  _ you _ . Just know, I needed to keep myself alive. And I did. I acted as I felt necessary and came out unscathed. Can we leave it a that?” After a beat of silence. “Please.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Thor saw Valkyrie watching them. He set his jaw and lay his hand against Loki's neck. “Just one more question, please.” He repeated the plea before he could stop himself and saw Loki squint at him.

Expecting Loki to deny him, Thor braced for a barrage of insults. To his surprise, Loki leaned into his hand. “One.”

Not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer, Thor watched Loki carefully. “Have you ever… is this the first time- uh…”

Something that wasn't quite anger crossed Loki's face as he sighed harshly. “What?  _ Whored _ ,” he spat the word, “myself out?”

“I didn't say--”

“No, brother. It's a new low, even for me.” Loki couldn't quite keep up his malicious tone.

Gulping, Thor nodded. He took Loki's other shoulder. “Thank you for telling me. It's--”

“If you spout some useless mantra about “ _ starting to heal _ ” I’ll stab you right here and now.”

Barking a surprised laugh, Thor couldn't help but grin. “I’ll keep it in mind.” He glanced back to the ship, Valkyrie was gone from the window. “You know Valkyrie did not mean to humiliate you, yes?” At the least, Thor felt he could start to mend the rift that widened last night.

Loki looked doubtful. “ _ That _ remains to be seen.”

“Take it into consideration, at least. Her misspeak was likely for the best.”

After a long pause, Loki nodded. “Consideration, then. That I can do.”

“And can we both promise to stop hiding things from each other?” Loki met his eye now that they were close. “Since we’ve both seen the path that leads down?”

For a second, Loki said nothing. “I don’t much do promises." Thor’s heart skipped a beat. Then Loki nodded and leaned his head into Thor's shoulder and sighed, an exhausted sound. “But… I’ll try.”

Relieved more than he wished to admit, Thor let pulled Loki close. Loki was cold as the night air he'd likely spent hours in and Thor tried to ward off some of the cold by wrapping an arm around his shoulders.  “Where did you go last night?” Thor tried to keep worry from his voice.

He heard Loki’s muffled groan. “Cheap shot.”

“I could have done much worse.”

Loki's laugh was sharp and loud in his ear. “Fair.” Pulling away with a nervous noise, Loki waved his hand and a bundle of herbs appeared there. “Asgard needs more medicine. I gathered what I remembered to be useful from my… admittedly lackluster studies in the area.” Waving his hands again, the bundle disappeared. “That answer your question?”

Staring at the place the herbs had been, Thor smiled, comforted. “It does.”

“Then can we draw this little session to a close?” Loki smirked. “I think I can actually feel this sappiness killing me.”

“Your sarcasm is not appreciated.” Though Thor couldn't help but chuckle as he stepped onto the ship's ramp.

“My sarcasm is  _ always _ appreciated, do not delude yourself like that, brother. It's not healthy.” Loki followed him up, only growing more sarcastic.

It was Thor's turn to roll his eyes.

Loki's good humor died away as they boarded and Thor took his place in the seat beside Valkyrie. Though he couldn’t see his brother, who lurked in his blind spot, Thor watched Valkyrie tense as she no doubt made the briefest eye contact with Loki. She looked back to the sky, taking over the controls. “Time to say goodbye to Alfheim, I guess.”

“We’ll be back.” Thor assured her, feeling like the words were just as much for himself. “Once everything has settled down. We’ll tell them what happened.” The ship’s engines kicked into gear and Thor felt them leave the ground. Without a clear destination, he felt horribly uncertain as they pulled high into the sky.  _ If Asgard could fall, then why not the other realms? Why not here? Why not Midgard?  _ He loathed to turn away from the receding Alfheim, some irrational part of him fearing that when it did he’d lose another realm to the abyss.  _ Lose  _ another _ realm. _ “Eight Realms,” he muttered. It sounded totally and utterly wrong.

The phrase got both his companion’s attentions, as he saw Valkyrie snap to him and heard Loki suck in a hurt breath.

“Eight.  _ Eight _ .” As if repeating the words would prove them untrue, Thor watched Alfheim recede to a dot of green. “None of it seems real, does it?” He scratched a finger against the patch over his ruined eye, longing to rip it off; because if he did  _ surely  _ he’d be able to see again. And surely Asgard was still there, just out of view.

The feeling was terribly familiar. He'd felt it after Loki had fell, the all consuming  _ wrongness _ of life as it had changed. Felt it after Frigga’s death, like the world had been sucked out from under him and returned devoid of color. He hadn't had time to feel it after Odin- “ _ None _ of it.” 

“Not to be a mood killer,” Valkyrie murmured as silence overtook them. “But that feeling- it never really goes away. At least… I never figured out a way.” Age leaked through her voice.

Dread aching in Thor's bones, he listened to Valkyrie and the humming engine. He felt Loki's grip tighten on his seat back. Looking up at his brother, Thor saw shared anxiety. At the sight, something in Thor's chest lightened, like a weight lifted, if just marginally. He managed a weak smile. “I know. But it's a burden we share together this time.” The belief remained something to cling to, and so he did. As Thor turned to Valkyrie, he saw her share the small smile with him.

“Maybe you're right, your majesty.” Her voice wasn't mocking in the slightest. Thor took it as a good sign. “And we’ve always got our good friend alcohol here for us, don't we?” She laughed at her own joke, though it didn't sound entirely sincere. When Thor didn't return the laugh, she sobered. “Hey, okay then.” She took them through a jump and when they slowed, she grinned to herself. “I want to know more about who we’re going all this way to get. Stories, the whole pie. Lay it out on the table. Some happy ones, that'd be good, I think.”

Leaping gratefully to the opportunity, Thor reached for the first memory that came to mind. “One time we were fishing in Vanaheim and Sif managed to spear a massive trout, must have been at least three times as large as our boat, that had to have been feeding off some spell. It took us near half the day to finally subdue the thing. We hauled it back to Asgard, never have I tasted better fish.” Thor's mouth watered just thinking about the flavor. 

Nodding approvingly, Valkyrie swerved around a bit of space trash. “Mmm, I can still taste the boar that Asgard’s old chefs roasted. Nothing like that on Sakaar… There was one woman, she loved Ama to bits- made the best, richest stew I’ve ever eaten. Threw it together whenever we had an off day.” Valkyrie's grin slipped a bit.

Eager to refresh it, Thor latched to another memory. “Oh, and there was the fire wyrm in Muspelheim. Long as the Bifrost bridge, it felt like.” Looking to his brother, Thor smiled expectantly. “You remember that one?”

“Not particularly,” Loki said, sounding unamused. “Those adventures are always rather difficult to recall.” Obviously anticipating his confusion, Loki smiled grimly. “Muspelheim never much agreed with me.”

Thor dropped Loki's gaze, a pang ringing through his gut. He caught Valkyrie watching them curiously. “Well… you pulled a marvelous trick that caught the beast in a crag and slowed it down enough for us to catch it.”

“Did that particular trick involve me shifting into a female wyrm and luring it out of its hiding place?”

“That was the one!”

“I  _ do _ remember that,” Loki nodded. “At the time I half expected the strain of the shift to tear me in two. Which would have been rather messy.”

“You never told me that.”

“And this surprises you?”

“I'd expect you to maybe mention that risk, yes!” Thor swiveled in his seat to stare at Loki in disbelief. He  _ had  _ to be joking.

But, clearly, he wasn’t. Shrugging, Loki looked unconcerned. “Oh, come now, brother.”

“I feel like that's a fair warning to give!”

“It worked out fine.”

“And if it hadn't?”

Loki waved a dismissive hand, scoffing. “Technicalities.”

“What!?”

“ _ What?” _

Valkyrie barked a laugh and they both looked to her. “You two remind me of Kára and Hlökk. They were twins,” she explained, still grinning. “The crap they got into… I'm surprised it didn't get us all reprimanded.” Pulling the ship up to avoid more derbies, Valkyrie shook her head, still lost in thought. “If you got them going they wouldn't stop arguing for  _ hours _ . I think their record was six; it was in the middle of a battle. Göndul was just about ready to take both their heads off.”

Thor exchanged a sheepish look with Loki, who smirked. The story did sound remarkably familiar.

“Anyway, Sif, the wyrm.”

Picking up his story, Thor brought his grin back. “Right! The battle lasted nearly half a day after Loki's trap. In the end, I let Sif strike the finishing blow.” Behind Thor, Loki made a skeptical noise. “Don't listen to him. I could have taken the last swing had I wanted to.” Another doubting ‘ _ hmm _ ’ from Loki, this time Valkyrie joined in. Growing defensive, Thor felt heat rise to his cheeks. “I could have!” He resisted the urge to elbow Loki, though barely. “Didn't you just tell us you were foggy in Muspelheim?”

“You're just a terrible liar.” Loki's grin bared too many teeth to be sincere.

“Yes- no- I-- Because I'm not lying!”

“Hey, uh, boys…” Valkyrie interrupted them. “Eyes front.” Swiveling in his seat, Thor’s heart skipped a beat. Suddenly the debris they'd been swerving around made sense.

The gutted remains of a ship floated in front of them. Scattered metal spread out across space. Scorch marks crisscrossed the ragged scraps.

Valkyrie pushed their ship slowly forward. “Looks old.”

Lunging from Thor's blind spot, Loki grabbed for the controls. “Don't, its-!”

An earsplitting ‘ _ boom _ ’ rocked their ship and flung Loki forward. He managed to grab at the steering and they swerved up, flipping sideways. Thor scrambled to right himself as another explosion flickered on the red emergency lights and an alarm blared. His ears rung with the chaos. Out of the darkness Thor could see at least six other ships surrounding them.

“Scrapers!” 


	5. Chapter 5

Shoving Loki out of the way, Valkyrie pulled their ship up and out of the ambush. Another explosion sent Thor out of his seat and onto the floor. Struggling up, he saw Valkyrie swing them around to face one of their attackers. “Thor, any chance for some God of Thunder action?”

Glancing out at the open space, Thor grimaced. “No air, no lightning. But I might be able to get out and-”

“And get torn to shreds? Nah.” Cocking her head, Valkyrie tightened her grip on the controls. “Okay then, hold on, boys!” 

As Thor grabbed hold of the control console to keep steady, Loki wheeled back, shouting. “Valkyrie, wait-”

“Come at me!” Howling a warcry, she opened fire.

The scraper ship in front of them exploded in a shower of bright orange sparks.

“That's right!” Whirling their ship on another attacker, she shot again.

This time the scrapper dodged under the attack. Thor’s heart skipped a beat. Another explosion from behind sent him tumbling; thick black smoke leaked from the back room. Thor could see Valkyrie’s mouth moving in obvious curses but the alarm that blared drowned her out.

Scrambling to turn off the alarm, Thor slammed his shoulder against Loki, who stood in between the two seats, bracing himself against them. Taking a second to throw him a confused look, Thor shouted over the turmoil. “What are you doing?!” He couldn't tell if Loki heard his question.

Thrown to the left as Valkyrie dodged a blast that exploded purple just beside them, Thor almost missed reading Loki's lips.  _ We need to get out of here.  _ The cabin rumbled and Thor saw Loki grimace. He spoke again.  _ Trust me. _ Thor frowned. Then his brother made a strange motion with his hands and disappeared.

Thor blinked once, twice. Loki was gone.

The alarm shut off.

“Where in Hel did he go?!” Valkyrie’s outraged shout was the first thing Thor heard as the ringing in his ears faded.

Tearing himself from the spot where Loki had vanished, Thor shook his head at Valkyrie. “He said we need to go, then he- I don't know.” Watching a scrapper ship streak past theirs, Thor made it to Valkyrie’s side. “He said to trust him.”

Her laugh was short and harsh. “Verdict on that one, your majesty?” She took her eyes off the scrappers that circled them for just a moment.

Glancing back to where Loki had vanished, Thor hesitated.

White fire exploded against the glass. When it cleared, Thor saw a long crack spreading. His stomach turned. “We stay. Just- just give him a minute.”

No longer looking at him, Valkyrie quirked her mouth into a frown. She pulled the ship around and prepared to open fire on a stopped scrapper. Some blue light flashed in the scrapper’s cockpit. The color sparked vague recognition in Thor's memories, though he couldn't immediately place it.

“Wait!” Thor grabbed her hand before she could fire. She snatched her hand from under his but didn't attack. “Look.” Leaning forward against the glass, Thor could just see a struggle in the opposing cockpit. Dark blood splattered the glass and a second later the ship nosedived into the debris, where it was torn to shreds.

Valkyrie made a small, confused noise.

Out of the corner of his eye, Thor saw the blue flash again. “There, that ship!” Valkyrie turned in time for them to see a figure tear open the throat of the scrapper and kick the creature down. The ship angled sideways, veering wildly away from the firefight. The blue flash came again and Thor tried to place it.

“That your brother?” As they swerved around spinning debris, Valkyrie glanced to Thor. Another scrapper went down. Thor grinned, too delighted to be anything but surprised by the new trick. Valkyrie whistled, looking briefly impressed. “Alright then.”

But another explosion rocked the ship and Thor's grin melted. More smoke was filling the cabin, thick and black that stung Thor's lungs. Between coughs, he spoke. “We can't last much longer like this.” Their ship flipped upside down to avoid a plummeting scrapper and Thor hung on for dear life. When they righted, he continued. “Is there anywhere to land?”

“You look,” Valkyrie snapped. “I'm the one keeping us from blowing up!” 

Chastised, Thor dropped to his chair and braced for another explosion. When the cabin stopped shuddering, he pulled up a map on the console. “A few small planets- I- this isn't anywhere I've ever heard of.” Growling, he felt his stomach tighten as they swerved wildly sideways. The smoke was so heavy now he had to squint to see Valkyrie scowl.

“Not helpful!” She opened fire on another ship and they flew past the blue explosion. Something was whirring too loudy below them; it wasn't an encouraging sound. “You think your brother can get us out of here with that trick of his?”

Watching another scrapper plummet at Loki's hand, Thor grimaced. “I've never even seen him do that before.”

“Ugh!”

The smoke that filled their cabin flashed ice blue for a moment and Thor spun around to see Loki crumple to the ground. The light seemed to emanate from Loki's right hand for a moment, but Thor blinked past smoke and it was gone. Loki struggled to a stand, clawing his way up Thor's armrest. “I can feel my atoms buzzing,” he mumbled, sounding strange and distant.

“I'll take that as a no.” Pulling them around the wreck of a scrapper, Valkyrie groaned as they came face to face with seven more ships. “Damn it.”

Gripping Loki's wrist, Thor muttered in his ear, “any more surprises?” Not looking up, Loki shook his head. Thor could feel Loki trembling at a different rhythm than the ship and silently hoped he'd just been exaggerating. “There was a small planet just a few clicks away. But it's past them.” He nodded towards the scrappers.

Squaring her jaw, Valkyrie nodded. Thor saw fire in her eyes. “Let’s dance.”

For a moment all was still. Then Valkyrie angled forward and they shot towards the scrappers. Two of them dodged out of the way immediately. But the rest opened fire. The crack on their glass widened dangerously as they pushed forward. Valkyrie didn't stop, baring her teeth. Thor gripped the seat and Loki tight.

A split second before they hit the blockade all but one of the scrappers swerved around them. The one that didn't exploded against their left wing in orange sparks.

Thor felt his teeth shudder in his skull as their ship went into a spin. The cabin filled with heavy smoke that filled his lungs in a burning cloud. Coughing, he could feel the ship shuddering and tearing even as the dark smoke blotted out the cabin. Beside him, Valkyrie yelled out, “hold on!”

He felt something tear away and then wind screaming past him. The last thought he had was that there was no wind in space.

Then everything went dark.

His body was cool. And wet. It was hard to breath. What was left of his right eye throbbed. There were hands on his chest. He took a breath. It hurt. The air was sticky in his scorched lungs. He groaned and the sound struggled to make it past his burnt throat.

“He's awake!” A woman's voice he knew shouted as he did. He grasp for the name. Valkyrie. Cracking his eye open, Thor saw her face covered in soot. Blood dripped from her hairline. She scowled at him. “Rise and shine, your majesty.”

“Where-” Thor’s mouth was painfully dry. His tongue felt clumsy and thick as he tried to swallow back moisture. “Where are we?” He tried to sit, ignoring how his side ached as he did.

Valkyrie took his hand, helping him to sit up. “I don't know. You were the one with the map.” She wiped some of the blood from her forehead.

Trying to shake away his foggy head, Thor glanced around. Thin trees rose out of muddy ground and brown water. He could feel the hot, muggy air seeping into his skin and stealing away the almost pleasant coolness of the water. Their ship, or what was left of it, lay half submerged in the swamp.  _ The raiders. The firefight. The crash.  _ Thor's memories returned all at once.

Sucking in a breath, Thor turned back to Valkyrie. “The ship-?”

“A goner.” Valkyrie shook her head mournfully. 

“Loki?”

“Present.” Loki's voice sounded to his right and Thor snapped around, wincing as his neck cracked painfully. Loki stepped out of the underbrush. He looked little better than Valkyrie, with ash and dirt obviously newly and poorly cleaned from his face. The mud just barely revealed a limp. “Glad to see you finally are as well.” Despite his snappy tone, he smiled thinly. There Thor saw something genuine.

Trying to stand, Thor grunted as pain shot up his ribs. He took a knee. “Ow.” Glaring at his chest, he saw no blood or tear in his armor. The damage had to be internal. Testing his limits, Thor drew in a deep breath. He only got halfway through before spots appeared on his vision and his right side felt like it'd been lit aflame. Groaning, he hissed out the air and settled for thin breaths. “Think I broke a few ribs.”

Valkyrie clicked her tongue, rising. “Yeah, a hard crash landing from space will do that.” She looked to Loki, though hesitated for a second before continuing. “You can fix that?”

Loki held her gaze for a long moment, a small frown on his face. In an attempt to break the moment, Thor tried to stand again, failing more miserably than before. That got Loki's attention, as he knelt down. “Idiot.”

“Yes, its ab-” Thor winced as Loki prodded at his chest. “Absolutely my fault my ribs decided to break on me for no good reason.”

That got Loki to smirk. “You did make for a fantastic cushion to land on.” Thor growled with annoyance and paid for it as his lungs ached. “I can fix this,” Loki said, looking up. “But it will sting.”

“No matter. We need to get moving.” Thor said; he heard Valkyrie make a skeptical noise but ignored it. Loki's hands hesitated over him. Annoyance curdling to frustration as more pain shot through his side, Thor glared at Loki. “What, have you suddenly forgotten how to be useful?”

Loki blinked a second too long, recoiling ever so slightly. But before Thor could attempt an apology, he was grinning again, all teeth. “Oh, no. I was merely waiting a proper amount of time to assure you wouldn't suspect me of enjoying your agony.” Loki's hands shone white-gold and Thor felt fire spreading across him. “Which I  _ never  _ would.”

The spell burned hotter than Surtur’s flames. The world dimmed as Thor fell back against the mud. Gritting his teeth to hold back a scream, Thor scrabbled at the dirt. It hurt. _ Norns, it hurt. _ His ribs were being torn asunder. Squeezing his eye closed tight, Thor saw spots of color in the dark that flared as something in his chest snapped. “ _ Lo _ kiii.” He grabbed Loki's wrist. He was on fire. 

“Hold him down, would you.” Loki’s voice floated from the ringing haze, entirely too calm. “He's going to break my wrist if he keeps this up.”

A foot pinned Thor's arm and forced him to release Loki. Blind, he tried to grab for it but a strong hand held him down.

He couldn't fight. But he had to. Electricity sparked around his fingers. Everything was burning.  _ Burning _ . Something popped in his chest.

Then it was over.

Thor took a deep, shuddering breath. There was no pain but the phantom of what had been. Unclenching his jaw, he squinted to see Valkyrie pinning him to the mud. She smirked at him. “If you tried to electrocute me I'd have kick your ass into space with the scrappers, just so you know.”

Chuckling weakly, Thor sat up as she let him go. “I don't-” His voice was painfully hoarse. “I don't doubt it,” he finished, coughing away the unsteadiness. “Loki, I do not remember that hurting  _ quite _ so much.” 

Loki had lost the wolfish grin as he massaged his wrist. Though his eyes narrowed as he looked back to Thor. “ _ Whoops _ .” 

A creaking groan behind them kept Thor from a reply. “Oh shit,” Valkyrie muttered, looking toward the sound. Turning, Thor watched their ship sink deeper into the muck of the swamp; part of its damaged wing crumpled against a massive tree that rose from the water. “My  _ beer!”  _ With a gasp, Valkyrie leapt forward and disappeared into the wreckage.

“Should we… help?” Thor glanced uncertainly back to Loki, who was watching the ship with raised brows.

“I doubt she would much appreciate it.”

Even as they stared, there was a loud crash and some scrap was thrown high into the air. It splashed somewhere out of sight. The ship sunk deeper and Thor grimaced, worry panging through his gut. “Valkyrie--”

She cried out and jumped from the ship as it sank. Landing empty handed next to him, she wiped mud from her face. The nose of the craft sunk in sluggish bubbles until the swamp had claimed it entirely. Then they were alone. Some bug buzzed in the trees above them.

“No beer, no food, no  _ ship!” _ Valkyrie cursed under her breath.

Despite the muggy, hot air, Thor went cold. He scrambled to a stand, scanning the swamp. They were alone. Wrestling back panic, Thor turned to Loki, his mind racing. There had to be some way out of this.

Loki looked back at him, grim. “I don’t...” He seemed to be having the same realization.

“There- there has to be something. Heimdall-”

“It would take too long, the Ark is too slow.”

Thor paced, mud staining his boots. “No- I… there must be civilization on this planet; if we find it maybe…” He saw the doubt on his companion's faces and felt it too.  _ This wasn't what he'd wanted. What if they never made it back- what if-- _ Electricity crackled at his fingertips. All this power and he was still trapped on some swampy nothing world. He turned on Loki. “Brother, what you did with those scrappers. Could that return us to Asgard?”

The small hope Thor clung to died in his hands as Loki frowned. “It's too risky. I don't-” he shook his head, crossing his arms tight. “I don't have enough knowledge or-- Not here. Not now.” Loki looked away, frown deepening into almost guilt. 

“Damn it.” Something awful was building in Thor's chest, try as he might to smother it. Turning on heel, he pointed into the swamp. “Come on, then.” He could practically feel the look shared behind his back but ignored it. Not waiting to see if they'd follow, he tromped into the knee high mud.

His companions followed a few paces behind, as he'd known they would.

Even if he walked without destination, at least he was moving, acting, doing  _ something _ . He'd rather rot than stay still. They'd come across something that could get them off this planet, he was sure of it; he  _ had  _ to be.

After what had to be at least an hour, as a steady drizzle fell around them, Loki joined Thor's side. From his first breath Thor knew he'd come to voice discontent. “If you're here to complain, I don't want to hear it. We’re all miserable.” Glaring forward didn't keep him from seeing Loki's frown. Part of him felt like apologizing, but not enough to act.

Loki's hurt quickly vanished, though. “It is a king’s duty to hear the thoughts of his people.” Echoing words Thor knew were their father’s, Loki spoke quietly over the patter of rain against swamp water.

Not ready for whatever snide comment would follow, Thor thought up a snappy reply. “Oh? And were  _ you _ so altruistic and all listening between building statues of yourself?” He knew the comment was overly harsh, but it felt good to voice nevertheless. Expecting no reply, Thor struggled over a fallen tree; the mud sucked his boots down.

“Yes,” Loki snapped, to Thor's surprise. “It was endlessly boring and I wanted nothing more than to retreat to my personal work, but I did. Because that's what a king is  _ supposed _ to do- listen to his subjects. You know that.” 

Turning his head from Loki's words, Thor kept walking. “And you're not my subject.”

Loki grabbed his wrist and Thor turned, glaring. Matching the glare, Loki stared him down. “This is getting us nowhere! You want to argue? Fine. I’ve got fodder to last us a lifetime. But  _ you  _ don’t want that. Thor, stop and think.” Stopped by Loki's grip, Thor attempted to pull away. But Loki held tighter, his nails digging into Thor's skin. “You really think wasting energy wandering through some awful swamp is the best thing?”

The first thought that leapt to Thor’s head told him what Odin would have done.  _ Steady on. Weather the storm and realization will come to you.  _ But some storms were unendurable. And he was not Odin, not the perfect picture of his father he once held, nor the flawed truth. He did not  _ want  _ to be Odin, either version. Both brought their sorrows.

Unable to escape, Thor dropped his glare. “I…ugh, no.” 

“I thought not.” Loki released him curtly. 

As the mist turned to a steady downpour, the three of them sheltered under the roots of a massive cyprus. Thor let the patter of rain against mud lull him into something near sleep. He could feel the storm somewhere deep in his chest. “This downpour will last through the night.”

Both Valkyrie and Loki looked to him with matching frowns. “Couldn’t you… do something about this?” Scrubbing mud from her armor, Valkyrie tilted her head curiously.

“I’ll just ensure it doesn't flood us,” Thor shrugged. “No point ruining the whole storm.”

Valkyrie rolled her eyes, muttering almost to herself, “yeah, because this place really needs the rain.” Scooting against the tree’s trunk, she closed her eyes and leaned back, falling silent.

As darkness fell, Loki sparked up a flickering white flame that lay on the bare ground, casting eerie shadows across them all. Outside, the storm raged. He joined Thor’s side moments later, shoulders curled under their low shelter. “No better time to practice your… particular brand of seidr.” In the light, Loki’s eyes were bleached pale.

Arching an eyebrow, Thor frowned at him. “Really? That’s what you’re thinking of?”

Loki’s smile wasn’t a pleasant one. “If we’re going to die on this planet I’d rather it be quick.”

“We’re not-- must you be morbid?” Resisting the urge to shudder, Thor flexed a hand in front of his face. Ignoring Loki’s grimness, he  _ was  _ curious about what he could do now without Mjolnir. The storm sent his heart beating strangely in a way he wished to investigate. Every distant roll of thunder made the hair on his arm stand on end. What he’d felt before with Mjolnir- the connection to that power- seemed magnified a thousand fold.

Watching him carefully, Loki kept the bitter smile. “It’s a role someone need fill.” Thor squinted at Loki briefly, something about the words made him uneasy. “No matter.” Loki glanced to his hand. “Well? Get to it.”

For a long moment, Thor stared at his hands, willing electricity to them. With a jolt in his veins, blue lightning flickered across his fingers. He grinned at Loki, who watched the light show with raised eyebrows and an almost imperceptible smile, but soon as he did, the power slipped away and left him with empty palms.

Loki scoffed, crossing his arms. “Disappointing.”

“Not helpful, Loki.” Thor said and heard Valkyrie snort a laugh from where she sat moments later. “I’ve only been able to hold it during dire moments.”

Glancing to her, Loki ‘ _ tutted _ ’ and snapped his fingers. The pale flame roared suddenly and engulfed the tree in a blaze. Before Thor could even cry out, the flame had died back to its manageable size. The wood around them looked entirely unmarked. “That’s not good enough. It should be as easy as thought.”

“I haven’t had a thousand years practice, brother. I think it’s unfair to compare.” Thor smirked at Loki. “I still remember how your spellwork was when we were young.” 

Appearing offended, Loki’s scooted away from Thor. “My  _ spellwork _ has always been exemplary. You're thinking of my grasp on seidr itself, which is  _ always  _ difficult for children. If you're going to insult me, at least use the proper terminology.” That Thor couldn't shake the smug look from Loki's face annoyed more than he was willing to admit.

“How was I supposed to know that?”

Gesturing at him, Loki half-laughed. “Because this is basic knowledge. If you'd even paid attention  _ once _ during our old tutor’s sessions you'd know this.”

“I did! It's just been a long time.”

Loki smirked skeptically. “ _ Riiight _ .”

Now the one offended, Thor frowned at Loki. “You're a bad teacher.”

“ _ No _ ,” Loki snapped. “I'm adaptable. You respond better to my criticism than my praise.”

Left uncertain by the statement, Thor rebuked it. “That's not true--”

“You didn't-” Loki sucked in a breath, something dangerous glittered in his eyes. “You didn't regain your worthiness of Mjolnir because I roasted a lamb for you.”

“I--” Thor blinked, voice dying in his throat.

Loki's smile lacked humor.

Before Thor could find some reply, something louder and closer than thunder growled through their shelter. Its hunger made his skin crawl.

Valkyrie cracked one eye open lazily, though Thor saw her hand go for her weapon.

Squinting into the pitch black swamp, Thor inched forward. He saw nothing and heard nothing, save the rain. “Loki,” he whispered, “throw some light out there.”

Following his directions with surprising haste, Loki flicked his wrist and the white flame split in two, its second half darting out into the downpour.

The cyprus were bleached white, hanging moss cast wispy shadows onto the water. Thor’s thoughts leapt to the stories of music men rising from the peat to steal away foolish travelers as he squinted past the edge of safety that the light created.

But those were mere stories. And this was a planet far from their origin.

A growl came from the dark, just beyond sight, feral and distinctly wolvish. Thor heard Valkyrie groan and saw her jump to a kneel out of the corner of his eye. “I could live my whole life without seeing another damn wolf.”

Smirking beside him, Loki stared out at the dark. “Well, maybe you two will be able to get into Valhalla after all.”

_ “Loki.”  _ Thor hissed, not taking his eye off the pale circle of light. 

Into it stepped a hulking creature that moved like a wolf but had a scaled hide. Thor eyed its claws and whipping tail apprehensively. He reached for his axe and held tight.

Loki nudged his side. “Look. Beyond it.” 

Following Loki’s gaze, Thor saw the fire light reflecting off the eyes of hidden wolves. He saw at least four pairs. “Scare it away with the fire.”

“The fire is the reason it's  _ here _ .”

The creature looked up towards their shelter turned hiding spot. Its black eyes flickered with some strange double lid. The thing’s growl shuddered through the trees and Thor heard its companions return the sound. Stepping around the white flame, it approached them.

Thunder rumbled closer as Thor grit his teeth. “On my mark.”

The creature crept closer, another two stepped out of the dark.

“One.” Thor felt the storm in his veins. “Tw--”

There was a snarl to his blindside and Thor spun in time to watch a wolf creature tackle Valkyrie, who rolled to the mud, sword flashing. Their stillness broke as the other creatures leapt for them. Thor’s axe cut through the neck of one. Whirling to catch another, Thor growled as his axe caught awkwardly on the plating of the creature. As the thing lunged for him his axe was ripped from his grip. Hitting the mud, he held off the beast with his hands. It snapped in his face, teeth yellow and dripping saliva as it snarled. Its claws scrabbled against Thor’s armor.

He felt electricity in his bones. High off the power, Thor reached for the storm as another of the beasts struggled with Loki. Screeches intermingled with shouts.

His hair stood on end. He smelt ozone. Then the world lit up with an ear shattering  _ ‘boom _ .’ He heard the creatures yelp as the smell of sizzling flesh met him.

When the light cleared, their sheltered tree was gone, replaced by a smoking stump. Bodies of the wolf creatures lay strewn about. 

“Easy game.” Thor turned to Valkyrie, grinning. She smirked back. Flexing his fingers, that still tingled with energy, he looked smugly to Loki. “How was tha- Loki.” He stared at the fresh gash scoring across Loki’s shoulder. Blood dripped to the mud. His mouth went dry, just for a moment. The pale firelight that lit them flickered dangerously low.

Cradling his right arm, Loki scowled. “Very good, Thor. Glad you didn’t electrocute us.” Though his eyes seemed hazy. “Just… there’s a chance they  _ might  _ have been venomous.”

“What?! How can you know?” Eyeing the wound, Thor let himself be relieved that Loki was still standing. Still, more blood dark leaked from between Loki’s fingers.

Loki glared at him. “Because it  _ hurts _ . And… and my arm is going numb rather quickly.” The light around them dimmed further until Thor had to squint at his brother. Valkyrie picked at the claws of one of the beasts, quiet.

“I lost an eye, you’re not allowed to lose an arm.” Gripping Loki’s good shoulder, Thor chewed on his nervousness. The longer he mused on his joke, the less funny it became.

At least, though, it got Loki to roll his eyes. “Don’t be dramatic.” His voice carried a strain that Thor didn’t like. With the way his eyes glazed over, Thor guessed the wound hurt more than he let on. “I’m fine. It will heal, it may just… take a while.” 

“What of the herbs you collected on Alfheim?”

Furrowing his brow, Loki sighed. “There's no need. It's not that bad.”

Opening his mouth to disagree, Thor only managed to take a breath before a sudden whoosh of air jerked his attention upward. 

A ship hovered over them. Its engines whirred loud in the silence and rippled the water around them.

“What in Hel?” Valkyrie rose, staring up at the thing. “Where’d that come from?” Over the noise, she called to Thor. “You think your lightshow got some attention?”

Loki hissed out a shallow breath in Thor’s ear. “Oh  _ Norns _ . It must have broken my wards.”

Glancing from the ship to Loki, Thor frowned. The unmasked fear in his brother's voice made him nervous. “What? Loki--”

Pale, Loki grabbed Thor’s wrist with his good arm. “Thor, listen, there’s something I haven’t--”

A screech cut Loki’s words off and a massive weight knocked Thor to the mud. Spitting dirt from his mouth, he looked up to see one of the beasts he’d thought dead, snarling at the three of them. Half its face was scorched. Its tail whipped past his head and Valkyrie dodged under the attack, rolling away into the dark and mud.

The creature stalked towards them, barely visible in the dim light. Loki stood before the beast; Thor watched his feet shift in the mud as a dagger appeared in his good hand, glinting off what little light remained of the white flame. His lame arm hung to his side.

Before Thor could reach for his axe or the storm a figure fell from the ship above them. In the dark, it skewered the beast, which let out a final whining screech. Thor saw the silhouette stand and turn, shaking blood off their weapon.

Beside Thor, Loki lit another flame to dance across his good hand. The ponytailed figure illuminated now by the fresh magic, looked to Loki. Thor felt his heart skip a beat and leap to his throat.

_ At last. _

Loki croaked a relieved laugh.  _ “Sif!” _

Staring at Loki, Sif’s face went slack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 5 chapters in and Sif's finally here! I've got 5 more planned chapters so we're halfway there


	6. Chapter 6

For a long moment the universe seemed to grind to a complete halt. From the mud, Thor broke into a grin. It was like gulping fresh air for the first time in weeks.

Sif stared Loki down, barely even breathing. Her dark hair was pulled tight in a braided ponytail, tied off with a red ribbon. Her armor was some strange, dark leather suit Thor had never seen. There was an empty holster for a gun on her thigh and the sheath for her spear on her back. Thor saw scraps of her old red garb sewn into the leather around the waste in a half fringe, an imitation of her old skirt. In her right hand was her spear, impeccably honed and glimmering in the ethereal firelight.

“Sif,” Loki repeated, breathless. “You--”

In an instant, Sif's spear was at Loki's throat. “I knew it. I _knew_ -” She scowled, eyes only for Loki, who still held out the flame. The pair of them, illuminated by the fire, looked wholly out of place in the swamp. Twin dark monoliths of a forgotten age.

Watching the blade carefully, Loki smiled at Sif, voice thin and impatient. “Yes, it was _me_. Now, Sif, listen--”

Sif's face twisted. “Listen? _Listen?!_ ” She lunged forward and Thor scrambled up. But instead of skewering Loki, her spear fell to the side. For a split second, Thor thought she might hug him. Then her hand grabbed Loki's arm and she threw him to the mud.

Loki’s light fell from his hand but stayed burning in the mud, radiating out a tight circle of light that neglected both Thor and Valkyrie.

Before Thor could find his tongue, her boot was on Loki's bad shoulder and she dug her heel in. Loki's yelp was cut off as Sif shouted. “You- you vile wasteling! You filthy, lying _vámr!_ ” Her voice cracked with fury that left Thor speechless. “Níðingr! How _dare_ you?! Not even giving me the dignity of exile! Oskilgetinn coward! Shame! Shame on you for even thinking of showing your face! I should kick it in!” Kicking the mud next to Loki, she huffed. Thor flinched at the slung insults but his voice eluded him. And part of him thought Loki deserved at least a few of the derisions after what he’d done to her.

Valkyrie joined Thor's side, watching with a small, open mouthed smile. “ _That's_ Sif.” Thor merely nodded. “Wow,” her sigh was dreamy.

“I told you I'd kill you if you betrayed him again!”

“Sif,” Loki hissed out. “I know. Calm down, let us--”

She laughed, a sharp, angry sound, and went down on knee, still pinning Loki by his injured shoulder. Thor saw Loki throw his head back, jaw set. “Despicable ormstunga! You _left_ me! Abandoned me! Do you have any idea what I’ve been through? What _you_ did to me!? I should gut you like a fish, _kamphundr!”_ She raised a fist.

Loki caught it with his good hand before she struck him. “Damnit, Sif! Thor, stop standing there, leadfoot!”

Sif jerked her head up, seemingly aware for the first time that they were not alone. She narrowed her eyes into the dark.

Finally finding his tongue, Thor stepped into the light. He couldn't shake his giddy grin even if he wanted to. _“Sif_.” Was all he could manage.

Still pinning Loki, she stared at him, eyes growing almost comically wide. Thor watched her gaze travel over his clothes, to his hair and his eye. Shock played across her face as her raised hand went slack and her shoulders slumped, mouth falling into a small ‘o’. “ _Thor_. Wha- what happened to you?”

“It's a long story,” Thor smiled, bittersweet. “We've been looking for you.”

“Your eye!”

Sheepish, he touched the metal eyepatch. “My eye.”

She shifted, knee at Loki's throat. “I… why are you out here?”

The heady rush at seeing Sif died instantaneously and Thor's grin slipped. “We…” Mouth going dry, he tried to find words where there were none. “Sif, Asgard- so much has happened. I don't know where to start--”

“How _about_ -” Loki piped up from under Sif's knee, voice strained by the pressure and likely pain from his now aggravated wound. “We start with me, since I've so clearly delighted Sif with my pres- _ah_ \--”

Digging her knee in deeper to Loki's throat, Sif snarled as Loki gagged. “You _don't_ get to talk.” Loki glowered up at her. Looking back to Thor, her expression softened. “Thor. What _happened?_ ”

Thor met Loki's eye for a split second. “He's- you can let him go.”

Valkyrie cleared her throat, stepping into the light. “Even if he was going to bolt, he's not running off anywhere with that shoulder like it is.”

Sif stared at her.

“Wonderful observation, Valkyrie, thank you,” Loki hissed dryly. Valkyrie pulled a face at him.

At his words, Sif stiffened. Thor saw her eyes widen again, darting in between the three of them; when Thor nodded to affirm Loki's words she swallowed hard, gaze lingering on Valkyrie. “Val... _kyrie_ ,” she breathed.

Thor vividly remembered how Sif idolized the Valkyrior when they were young. She'd been able to list them, had their history memorized- or at least their given history, that not twisted by Odin’s lie- better than all the rest of them. It had often been a contest to set Loki and Sif up in a contest of knowledge over the subject.

That memory he’d yet to share with Valkyrie, guessing Loki would likely gut him if he did.

And now she stood before one, likely feeling exactly as Thor had upon realizing who his captor was. Sif scrambled up, releasing Loki, who groaned quietly. Staring at Valkyrie, she quickly sheathed her weapon. “I- it’s an honor. An _honor_.”

Valkyrie crossed her arms, smirking at Sif. “I've heard a lot about you, lots of good things.” Sif blushed.

“I- uh… where- _how_ \--”

“Both excellent questions,” Loki muttered, staggering up as he clutched at his shoulder. “And they are where our good news ends.” He stared expectantly at Thor.

Thor flinched, but knew Loki was right. He couldn't put this off any longer. “Sif, something happened to Asgard. Something terrible.”

Tearing herself from Valkyrie, Sif's face fell. She stared at his ruined eye.

“The Allfather is dead.” Sif flinched, opening her mouth, but the words that had been building in Thor's chest began to flow as the dam burst and the delusions of how he would make this easy news on her fell away. His only weapon was raw truth. “Mjolnir was destroyed. I have- had maybe- an older sister. She destroyed Mjolnir after father died.” Confusion warped Sif's face, something Thor sympathized with. “She threw Loki and I into space. She killed- killed the Warriors Three and the Einherjar.” Thor watched Sif's world crumbling, agonizingly powerless to stop it. “We found Valkyrie and one of my Midgardian friends on that planet, usurped a tyrant who took my hair, and returned to Asgard to confront my sister. She took my eye. We- Loki-” Thor glanced to his brother, who'd slumped against a tree, pale faced and clearly barely listening. Thor had only a moment to spare for worrying after him. “-saved the Asgardians who left with a stolen ship. Then… we destroyed Asgard- set off Ragnarok as Loki summoned Surtur- to take her powers and hopefully kill her. We've been heading towards Midgard ever since. Until the three of us came looking for you. To bring you back home.” Wrung dry of words, Thor watched Sif.

She looked away after a long moment of clear disbelief, walking towards the dark.

“Sif.” Nervous, Thor followed a few paces behind. He stopped when he saw her shoulders trembling.

After a long moment of silence, Sif spoke. “How-” her voice was rough, “how did the Allfather die?”

It hadn't been the question Thor expected. Hesitating, he glanced to Loki, well aware of the precarious position he'd been placed it. Loki met his eye, wan face grim. Taking a deep breath, Thor answered her. “He died… died on Midgard. I don't know- age or weakness… I haven't- I don't know.” Repeating himself, he braced for Sif's reaction.

“And after he died your… _sister_ appeared.” Sif's voice was deadly calm. “And _she_ caused everything you said. Because the Allfather died on Midgard.”

Thor tried to find a response, but Loki spoke over him. “You can say it, Sif. Don't dance around the obvious. It's my fault. I _killed--_ killed the Allfather. That's the conclusion you were coming to.” His voice slipped into something vicious and low that made the back of Thor's neck crawl. The way every breath seemed to tax him made Thor only more nervous.

Scrambling for some way to break them up before they came to blows again, something Thor guessed wouldn’t do well for Loki’s shoulder, Valkyrie scoffed and Thor stopped dead. “Yeah, but Odin was a dick and good riddance.” As the three of them flinched, she crossed her arms, unperturbed by it. “Really. Screw him. He knew full well we couldn't beat Hela at the height of her power. He used my entire squadron as a distraction. Threw us to her mercy knowing we were going to die. We were _disposable_.”

He'd guessed at that scenario, but hearing it from Valkyrie’s mouth made Thor go cold. Everyday it seemed he must tear some new veneer from the golden image of his father. It was for the better, he _knew_ that, but it still hurt. Briefly, bitterly and selfishly, he wondered if these revelations were easier for Loki. If it did, Thor couldn’t tell as Loki stared at the ground, eyes shadowed.

But Sif merely shook her head. “No- what? He wouldn't…” There was unmistakable hesitation in her voice, as if she didn't want to directly contradict Valkyrie.

Regarding Sif for a long moment, Valkyrie frowned almost sympathetically. But the dangerous edge never left her voice. “He did. And then he covered it up. None of them got a proper funeral. Nothing but being left with Hela for an eternity. Their deaths- whatever happened to them after they died with that monster- they’re on _him_ . Listen, Loki over there,” she jerked a thumb towards Loki, “‘might have that Liesmith title but Odin did it fair justice too. I get that Asgard was built up as the perfect utopia in a creepy-” she grimaced, “almost brainwashy way but it… it _really_ wasn't. It was made out of lies and war and blood. Odin might have stopped the war and the blood but it looks to me like he never stopped the lies.”

For a moment all was silent, save some strange chirping of an unknown bug and the now quiet whir of engines from the ship overhead. Sif seemed to wrestle with an argument, looking hopefully to Thor. Unable to contradict Valkyrie's declaration, Thor merely shook his head. Much as it hurt him to watch Sif’s stalwart dedication crumble, he guessed keeping the truth from her would only result in more pain.

It always did. Odin’s mistakes had taught him that much.

Finally, Thor watched Sif’s shoulders slump as the new reality of her world hit her. “I… I don’t know how I can… what am I supposed to say?” She glanced between Thor and Valkyrie, looking painfully lost. “I should have come back… I meant to.”

“Where did you-” Thor glanced up to the ship, her ship. “It was likely for the better. Hela was too powerful. If I’d lost you too…” He sighed, resisting the urge to massage away the tight spot in his chest. No point lingering on what-ifs. “You’re here now, though. We can all go home.” Managing a smile, Thor hoped he sounded not as dour as he felt.

Some emotion flickered across Sif’s face, too quick to catch. She bit her lip. “Thor,” she sighed his name. “I… I made a promise--”

A sudden rustle followed by a solid thump interrupted her. Thor turned, hearing Valkyrie mutter a “ _yikes_ ,” as he did.

Loki had slumped to the ground. His firelight flickered lower until it was nothing but an ember. Thor jumped to his side without thought. Fumbling in the dark, Thor brushed a hand against Loki’s forehead and found it damp and burning. His heart leapt to his throat. “Oh, you  _idiot_. Can you hear me?” He squinted at the wound on Loki’s right shoulder. It was hard to tell without light, but the bleeding seemed to have stopped.

Loki’s laugh was strained. “To listen to you insult me? Yes.” There was another thump and in the dark it looked like Loki had thrown his head against the tree he slumped against. “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

“You keep saying that. I’m starting to think I shouldn’t believe you.”

“Oh? Just now?” Loki laughed again, a bit manic. “Foolish of you.”

“Hey,” Valkyrie spoke up, voice steely calm. “Sif, you got lights on that ship of yours?”

Relieved that she kept her wits about her, Thor squinted as his eyes adjusted to the sudden blinding light that shone down upon them. His relief didn’t last long. The sheen of sweat on Loki’s forehead gave Thor pause. Hazarding a glance at Loki’s shoulder, Thor clenched his fists tight. Under the drying blood the wound had swelled to a red mess. “Shit,” Thor cursed. _What would a king do? What would Odin--_ He looked to Valkyrie, to Sif. Odin wouldn’t have asked for help. He would have known what to do, like Asgard always had. _But he wasn’t a proper Asgardian king. He wasn’t Odin. He never would be._ For the better. “Do you have medicine on your ship?”

“Of course.” Sif hesitated for just a second. Then she fiddled with a contraption on her wrist and the ship drew closer, hovering over the swamp. She stowed her spear as a bridge lowered towards them. Thor didn’t have time to consider her pause.

Scooping Loki up, which earned him a small _“no,_ let me go,” Thor bolted for the ship. “Put me down,” he heard Loki whine.

“Shut up.” To his surprise, Loki did, falling worryingly silent. Sif and Valkyrie fell to his side, Sif directing him silently through the ship’s innards. Finally Thor was directed to a room that smelled of chemicals, where he dropped Loki to a cold table that Valkyrie shoved weapons from. Lying beneath the harsh lights, Loki seemed to have taken a green hue. It wasn't encouraging. “Sif, you have anything for venom?”

She bolted and he heard her rustling through drawers as he returned his attention to his brother.

Loki's hand grabbed for his collar clumsily. “I'm--”

“If you say _“I'm fine”_ one more time I'll have Valkyrie knock you out.”

Behind Thor, Valkyrie barked a short laugh. “Hope I haven't given you the impression you can tell me what to do.” Though, after a brief pause. “Doesn’t mean I _won’t_.”

Loki pursed his lips to a small frown at that, though said nothing.

Nervous to touch the wound, Thor kept Loki's gaze instead. At the least, Loki seemed lucid though his pupils were blown wider than they should in the bright white light. “How does it feel?”

Thor saw him glance down at his shoulder, grimacing. “Not _great_.” Before Thor could protest, Loki elaborated. “Hot. A- ah- not Surtur hot- though.” His smile held no humor. “The armor needs off. I-” With a flick of his wrist, the leather chest piece disappeared and left nothing but a dark undershirt.

Even with the near black material, Thor saw the blood that stained it. No longer so hidden, the wound only grew nastier. The cut seemed to have healed slightly but the skin that hadn’t held a greyish hue. Thor’s stomach turned, recalling the last time he’d seen- or thought he’d seen- Loki brought low by poison. That memory fresh, he pressed a hand against the grey skin. It was burning to the touch, very real. And- _sticky_. Thor’s stomach heaved.

Loki hissed at the pressure, throwing his head back and tensing against the table.

It made Thor flinch even as he felt a selfish sort of relief. “Sorry,” he mumbled, pulling back and seeing- what he realized with another horrified jolt- what seemed to be sloughed off flesh, dead or dying. “Oh- oh _Norns_.” He gagged, mouth going sour as he wiped away the stuff onto his pants.

When Sif returned she spared a second of concern for Loki’s wound, which now appeared to be spreading from where Thor’s fingers had touched, the grey skin liquefying, before handing off a bottle of some liquid to Thor. “This should negate- or at least slow whatever effects it is having. But… it’s going to hurt.”

Loki’s gaze was fogged and he seemed to struggle with a laugh. “Already _does_.”

“A lot,” Sif elaborated, frowning.

“Sure you don’t want me to knock you out?” Valkyrie said with a tight smile. Thor saw the faintest hint of worry in her eyes.

Plucking another bottle from the bunch she carried, Sif held it out. “A few drops of this and he’ll be out for hours.” She offered it to Thor. “Spare him the extra pain.”

“I’m-” Loki hissed a peevish breath, “right here. If- if you've forgotten.” Though it seemed barely. Even as Thor watched, Loki wavered, eyes fluttering shut for a long second. When they opened they were unfocused.

Still, Thor nodded at him. “We know.” With Sif here, he feared it’d would be only too easy to fall back into old habits. The exact old habits that got them here to begin with, that pushed Loki away. “What do you want to do? Take the medicine or not?”

Looking briefly surprised to be asked and despite his insistence, Loki hesitated. His eyes flickered to Sif’s spear. “I…” he shuddered. “Give me the medicine.”

Portioning out a few drops, Thor managed a smile. “Great. Here… We’ll make sure not to accidentally dump you into space,” he added after a moment's thought.

“ _Incredibly_ reassuring, thank you.” Loki rolled his eyes as he downed the medicine and Thor saw the effects almost immediately as his brother’s breathing slowed from its manic pace.

“Oh, and Loki.” Fighting through what had to be a fog of induced sleep, Loki met his eye. Ignoring the worry gnawing at him, Thor let his smile slim as the anger he’d been nursing in the back of his head surfaced. “I let it slide because there were more important things at hand. But… once this is over you’re going to tell me what exactly you were going to before Sif showed up. What you _haven’t told me._ Understand?”

He didn’t get an answer as panic flashed briefly across Loki face before his body went slack and his eyes fluttered shut, staying that way.

Valkyrie looked between them. “Didn’t like that, did he?”

“I believe he’d hoped I’d forgotten.” Moving onto the salve, Thor massaged some of it into Loki’s wound, resolutely refusing the urge to vomit as what had to have been more liquefied skin mixed with the medicine. “I didn’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe I called this chapter "Sif kicks the crap out of Loki" in my notes which seemed fitting. And it let me look up a lot of fun Norse insults. Next chapter next week, its the longest chapter so far and a lot of stuff happens in it. I'm excited.
> 
> Also big thank you to everyone leaving me such nice feedback, I really appreciate it and I'm glad you're enjoying this. That feedback really helps me get excited and not just nervous.


	7. Chapter 7

“What do you mean you can't come back to Asgard?” Thor hardly realized he was shouting.

Sif had to be lying. _They'd traveled all this way- she wasn't- she had to be coming with them._ But he saw it in her eyes. “Thor, there's something I have to do.”

They stood in the bridge of Sif’s ship. Space was wide and dark and empty around them. Utterly unfamiliar.

“What? What could possibly be so important? Asgard _needs_ you.” Thor felt electricity in his veins. “We- what of your duty to Asgard? Does that mean nothing?”

“It does! Of course it does!” Sif sounded as heated as she did guilty.

That alone was infuriating. “Then act like it! There are little over two hundred of us left, Sif.” Searching for what he could say to convince her, he paced the short length of the bridge. “We’re without land or coin… any of the things that a people need to thrive. Once we get to Midgard- I’d be foolish to think those problems solved no matter what aid my friends provide us.” The air hummed a dangerous note he barely heard. “I have Loki and Heimdall. Everyone else I've ever known, _we've_ ever known, is dead. I can't lose you too, not after all the rest.”

Sif dipped her head, voice pained. “I understand. And I _do_ want to return but I just can't, not yet.”

“What!?”

There was a hand on his shoulder. Valkyrie’s. He glanced to her, ready to dismiss. She didn't understand, she couldn't. “Thor.”

The word was enough to remind him. _Don't be Odin. Don't be Odin. Do_ not _be like Odin._ Be better. _But how?_ He sighed, massaging his forehead. Slowly, so slowly, the hum in his veins fell silent. “Why? You have a reason, tell it.”

Sif relaxed, leaning heavily against her console. “That I do. Ever since I found my way into space, earned this ship, I’ve been trying to help people. Asgard was… cut off. I couldn’t return. Loki’s doing, I think. So I found other ways to use my skills.” She smiled proudly. “I saved lives. Made a difference. It wasn’t Asgard, but it was something. That enough gave me purpose as I attempted to navigate this place beyond the realms.” Then the smile slipped. “There was a colony I’d helped save from slavers. I liked them. They gave me food, I kept them safe with weekly checks. Until a few weeks ago. I landed for my check and they were dead. All of them. Torn apart by an expert’s bladework.” Her fists curled on her dash, voice not quite shaking. “They were my friends.”

Feeling suddenly immensely guilty for his outburst, Thor watched her carefully. “Sif…”

“So I went looking for culprits. Stopped by some other people I’ve helped. Some of them were gone too. Same thing. Stories began to spread about a band of unkillable warriors that descend upon outposts and towns. Any who raised a weapon against them died.” She fidgeted with the control panel in a nervous gesture. But Thor knew the look she wore. Vengeance, which had never meant anything but harm for those on its receiving end. “A few people said they saw the warriors but weren’t harmed. Said they weren’t scrappers or anything they’d ever seen before. That they- they-” she grimaced. “That they broke the bone of their victims and ate the marrow. I have no idea if that's an exaggeration brought on by fear or not. All I know is that they are deadly. I can’t let any of it stand.” She met Thor’s eye, determination clear. “I’ll return to Asgard once I find them and gut them for what they did.”

All was silent for a long moment. It was Valkyrie who broke the silence, appearing skeptical. “How do you expect to find these warriors? And… you mentioned they were unkillable?”

“Supposedly,” Sif corrected eagerly, seemingly glad to have Valkyrie's attention. “I’m willing to bet they just haven’t come across the wrong people yet. We could be those people. I was heading towards a trading outpost that I visited before I came across you all. That outpost is known for hosting disreputable folk. The warriors have to stay somewhere. If we’re going to find them anywhere, it'll be there. What could stop us?”

Thor saw in her the kind of prideful determination he’d come to expect. With or without him she would hunt these warriors. He sighed and heard the resignation in him. “Very little could.” Sif brightened. “I’ll help. But it’s not my place to speak for the others on this ship.” He looked to Valkyrie, unsure of what to expect.

When both their gazes turned to her she frowned and shifted, clearly uncomfortable. “What? You really expect me to say no at this point? I’m in it for the long haul…” she paused. “And I ran out of my alcohol rations back on the Ark weeks ago. I've been stealing from Korg under his nose. Going back isn’t really the first thing on my mind.” She threw a wry smile Sif’s way. “I'm all for killing the unkillable when they deserve it.”

Squaring her shoulders, Sif’s grin grew. “Fantastic, so we’re all in agreement–”

“Not all.” Thor corrected, glancing back into the belly of the ship.

Sif blinked overlong before scoffing. “Loki won't say no.”

“Likely not,” Thor agreed, wincing. Even after all that had happened he saw just how easily Sif had slipped back into the casual familiarity of Loki among them. What should have been comforting came as a slap to the face. _How long had that dismissiveness been so familiar?_ “But… as the saying goes “it's the thought that counts,” eh?” The blank stare he earned was harsh. “Midgardians say that,” he offered a smile and a shrug.

“I see.” Sif sounded unimpressed.

Dryly, he added “and he deserves a say.”

Catching enough of his meaning, Sif looked away. “Well… until he wakes I'll set us a course for the trader outpost. If not for the warriors then for refueling and restocking my food stores.”

At that thought, Thor's stomach growled and he realized just how many hours it had been since he'd eaten. But Valkyrie beat him to words. “Speaking of, you got any food on this thing? I haven't since we crashed.”

“I should have enough. Follow me.”

They ended up eating in a cramped storage area, just beyond the room where Loki lay. “That's the biggest space on the ship,” Sif explained, handing out something wrapped in a strange foil. Valkyrie tore into it without hesitation.

They went through three of the sweet bread loafs each. “Where _did_ you get this ship?” Thor finally asked after he'd had his fill.

She smiled at the walls, clearly fond. “I worked for it. The traders I traveled with needed a bodyguard and they paid well.”

Thor nodded. “It's nice.”

Valkyrie looked up from her meal. “And definitely cleaner than anything that came out of the Grandmaster’s collection.”

Clearly curious, Sif looked between them. The prospect of explaining to her what had occurred was a daunting one. But he had to start somewhere. “The ruler of Sakaar, the planet Loki and I fell to after my sister threw us from the Bifrost. It was… not a pleasant place.” Beside him, Valkyrie’s laugh was bitter. “That planet’s slaves are who stole away the Ark and saved what remained of Asgard.”

Impressed, Sif glanced not too subtly at Valkyrie, who noticed and crossed her arms. “I was there too. Just… hiding- waiting- drinking- whichever.”

“Ah.” Sif frowned.

From behind them, Thor heard Loki coughing. It was the first sound from him since they'd put him under hours ago. Sif and Valkyrie both looked to him. “I'll… I'll check on him.” He smiled tightly at Valkyrie. “Feel free to continue explaining. This will likely take a while.”

Slipping into the room, Thor saw Loki trying to sit up, face drained of blood. “Hey, probably shouldn't,” Thor cautioned, knowing full well Loki would ignore him.

Indeed, as Loki snapped to stare at him before gritting his teeth from the motion. “Oh, it's you.” His voice was dry.

“How does your arm feel?” Thor hazarded a glance at the bandages covering Loki's shoulder. They hadn't yet bled through nor had his arm turned to grey mush, Thor took that as a good sign. “We could knock you out again if it's too–”

“No,” Loki interrupted hastily. “No- I don't want… The worst of it has healed.” No doubt seeing Sif and Valkyrie at the doorway, Loki glanced past him, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Thor readied himself for some accusation. “Did you eat without me?”

“I-” Thor laughed. “Yes. But I’m sure Sif has more.” Appeased, or at least appearing so, Loki looked down at his bandaged shoulder. “Are you certain you're healed?”

“I've felt _better_. But I've also had worse.”

“Good.” Sitting on the edge of the table so he didn’t loom over Loki, Thor fixed his brother with a hard eye. “So… this important secret of yours. Remember our _promise?”_

Loki balked, shrinking back. He said nothing for what felt like an eternity. No doubt some plethora of lies were running through his head. Thor prepared himself for one. But unable to escape, Loki finally sighed. “You need to let me explain.” He raised one hand and Thor blinked at a familiar blue glare that suddenly lit the cabin. Squinting at the cube Loki now held, Thor felt his heart skip a beat.

“No,” was all he managed, his mouth going dry.

Drawing the Tesseract close to his chest, Loki practically cradled the thing. “I didn’t lie. You never asked about it so I–”

“Loki, shut _up;_ give it to me.” Hand out, Thor gestured for the thing. When Loki didn’t hand it over he glared at him. “Don’t be an idiot.”

“I’m not! Listen, Thor, I’m protecting it.” By the way he spoke, Loki seemed to believe himself. “Warding it from being discovered. If I don’t you have no idea what could happen. Or how much we could lose.”

Staring at the glittering Tesseract, Thor grit his teeth. “You can’t do that job alone. Not with that thing.” _Of course, it should have been obvious._ Loki had been in close proximity to the cube when summoning Surtur. He’d expressed interest in an Infinity Gem before; in many. “Give it.”

“If I hadn’t taken it then he likely would have found it already. I’ve been warding it against him for weeks.” Loki started to sound panicked. “You don’t want that. Nobody does.”

“What? What am I not supposed to want?” Grabbing for Loki’s wrist, Thor flinched back at the spike of pain that shot up his arm, fiery like an insect’s sting. “Loki,” he growled a warning. “Don’t do this.”  
Loki gave him only a glare as an answer.

The air hummed as they stared each other down. “I don’t want to take it from you by force. But I will if I must.” The electrical equipment to Loki’s right fizzed and sparked. “We made an oath. No more hiding- or have you already forgotten?”

Shying from the sparking electronics, Loki looked practically like he was ready to fall off the table to get away. “I knew you’d take it from me. I couldn’t risk that.”

“So you were hiding an Infinity Gem out of the goodness of your heart? You’re a better liar than that, brother.” Thor set his jaw. “I'll say it once more, put it down or I'll make you. Don’t doubt me.”

He scarcely dared breathe, waiting for Loki's answer. Not for the first time he wished for the reassuring weight of Mjolnir in his hand. The eerie blue glow of the cube reflected off every surface in the room, casting everything into doubt.

Loki's expression was unreadable, his old mask resurrected as he clutched the cube close.

It occurred, rather abruptly, to Thor that Loki could use the thing to flee if he so wished. That he could lose his brother to this thing again.

Panic spiked through him at the thought. But even as he stepped forward Loki lurched up, planting his feet firmly. Locking eyes with Thor, Loki dropped the cube to the table.

It made no sound as it settled.

Loki's hand hovered over it a second longer, almost claw like, before he straightened and pulled back. “Don't touch it.” He snipped as Thor reached for it.

Annoyed, Thor nevertheless paused. “I've handled it before.”

“In a case. Direct contact is… different.” Loki's voice was distant, his eyes lit strangely by the cube. “It touches everyone differently.” He sounded hushed, almost worshipful.

Had Loki been wishing to perturb, he succeeded. Retracting the hand, Thor watched Loki cautiously. “Who are you protecting it from? The folk who sent you to Midgard?” Thor guessed and by the way Loki shuddered he assumed he was right. “How are they supposed to track it?”

“The same way your Midgardian scientists did: it gives off a peculiar energy. I didn't try to hide it then, that wasn't my goal. Now though…” Loki had yet to tear his gaze from the cube. “He can't have it.”

“Who is this _“he”_   you speak of?” Hoping to get Loki to look at him, Thor softened his tone and put a hand on Loki's good shoulder. It worked. The barely masked fear in Loki's eyes was breathtaking. “Loki?”

“I… I can't,” Loki struggled for words, a disconcerting phenomenon.

With a sigh, Thor put away his anger at the lie he'd been fed, if just for the moment. “Brother, I swear to you if you tell me I shan't let this creature have at you again.”

The open doubt in Loki's eyes hurt more than Thor wished to admit. _Does he not believe me? After all this?_ “You can try.” He sounded utterly grim.

Something Thor was not willing to accept. “And succeed. Tell me.”

“There is-” Loki sucked in an unsteady breath, some nigh unreadable emotion hardening in his eyes. “There is a name. The name of a tyrant. His wishes are… obsessive. Single minded. He’s grand in his ambition.” Thor blinked at the twisted- he hesitated to call it reverence- in Loki's voice. Squeezing Loki's good shoulder tight, Thor saw him snap to attention. “He desires the Infinity Gems for his purposes, which endanger existence as we know it. He… employed me to retrieve the Tesseract. Didn't tell me what was in it. Didn't tell me what was in my staff either.”

“You still dance around the name.” Thor's prompting made Loki flinch.

“Some call him the Mad Titan. Others, their Father. A few… a few their Master.”

“But those are not his true names.”

“No.”

Thor had experience with Loki purposely denying him answers to pester. He knew how to get around that. This that was not. Clearly, Loki took no more pleasure in this roundabout conversation than Thor did. “What, Loki? You look as if you expect him to appear at the naming. Can he do that?” Thor asked mostly at an attempt of humor.

“No- I don't- I doubt it.”

“Then what harm is a name?”

Loki opened his mouth and closed it in rapid succession, swallowing hard. He fidgeted nervously with his own bandage.

_“Loki."_

“Thanos,” Loki spat and Thor felt him tense as if he expected some retribution.

Whoever this Thanos was, Thor would tear him limb from limb for that. “Thanos is not here. His name cannot strike you.”

 _“Obviously,"_  Loki hissed defensively. But his eyes still darted to the dark corners of the hanger. “And that _name_ is not the issue, the Tesseract is. What would you do with it?”

Putting aside the mystery of Thanos for a moment, Thor watched the cube carefully. The hum that filled the air had changed; what had been under his control now set a lower, almost melodic tune. One that came from the cube itself. “You can't keep it hidden in your pockets.”

Loki frowned indignantly, but said nothing.

“Why do you warn me from touching it and yet you handle the thing?” Finding the urge to reach out returning, Thor crossed his arms tight. One of them had to be sensible. It clearly wasn’t Loki.

He watched Loki brush a thumb across the table, straying from the cube by a hair’s breadth. “Because I know it shall not destroy me.”

“I highly doubt it would destroy–”

“Let me clarify… I know its _power_ won't consume me.”

Thor arched a skeptical eyebrow. By the sheer reluctance to release the cube he guessed otherwise. “That remains to be seen.”

“I've handled it for weeks!”

“Yes.” _And it was hard enough to separate you after that short time._ Biting his tongue, Thor glanced back towards Sif and Valkyrie. They hovered near the doorway, no doubt having overheard everything. Sif gave him a subtle nod. “You've kept it hidden from Thanos,” Loki’s mouth twisted subtly, “in that time. So clearly your wards are working. And if this Thanos is as you say then we should be grateful.”

Loki narrowed his eyes, too wary to be gratified. Thor couldn't blame him. That wasn’t the intention.

“But you cannot keep it so close. For the same reasons I should not touch it. Because none of us should.” Abandoning the pretense of privacy, he turned to Sif. “Do you have a box or something?”

Swooping into the room she emptied a crate full of what looked to be carapaces and dropped it to the table beside the cube. She stared at the thing with the same appreciation Loki did.

Joining them, Valkyrie eyed Loki's bandages as she nudged him to make room.

For a long moment they all stared at the cube, listening to its strange song.

“Creepy,” Valkyrie muttered as she drew her sword. Before Thor could react she had flipped the cube into the box and the lid slammed shut over it. “Tada.” Grinning as she sheathed her weapon, Valkyrie half bowed.

The song died, leaving almost painfully dead air.

Loki visibly sagged against the table. “I have to refresh the wards daily. It finds new ways to break them constantly.” His voice was noticeably weaker, almost like he was distracted though the source of his distraction was hidden. His hand still strayed towards the box.

Storing the Tesseract below the heavy table Loki had been lain on, Thor watched him warily, unsure if the lethargy was connected. “Fine. But someone must be watching you when you do. When we get back I shall give it to Heimdall. He’s the only one powerful enough to deal with its ilk. We’ll plan from there.”

For a second it looked like Loki made to argue, but he seemed to second guess himself and settled for a begrudging nod. “Seems agreeable.”

“I’m glad but this isn’t about being agreeable, Loki.” Hardening again, Thor returned to his anger, determined to see it through to the end so that it couldn't fester. He’d been able to get through to Loki before, he could do it again. At least, that’s what he hoped. “You lied. Your privilege to the Tesseract after this is over will be negligible at best. If another can do your job then they shall.”

Looking like he’d been slapped, Loki scowled. “I’m the only one.”

“We’ll see when we get to Midgard.” The insult was sharp.

Pride wounded, Loki’s glare only grew. “That Midgardian sorcerer is useless.”

“Likely,” Thor conceded. “But my friends never fail to surprise.”

Sneering, Loki didn’t answer that assertion and just scoffed as he turned to Valkyrie. “I’m assuming you all came up with some fresh plan? Seeing as we’re clearly not going back to the Ark just yet.”

Petty silence. So that’s how Loki would deal with this. Thor wished he could be surprised. He massaged a forming headache, unsure if it had anything to do with the cube or was the fault of this squabble alone.

Glancing between them, faintly amused, Valkyrie jerked her head towards Sif. “Uh, gonna fight some unkillable warriors for revenge. Y’know, the usual. His majesty wanted to wait for your word on it, though.”

Still not looking at Thor, Loki toyed with his bandages. “Of _course_ we are.”

Sif cleared her throat. “So, is that a yes? Or do we need to drop you off?”

“Don’t patronize me,” Loki snipped. “But someone must ensure you all don’t die horrible, painful deaths, so fine… I’ll accompany you.” At his words, Sif sighed with relief and bolted from the room.

With a skeptical sound, Valkyrie smirked at Loki’s wounded shoulder. “Is that your job? You’re doing pretty shit work at it so far.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “You’re not dead, far as I can see.”

“Debatable.”

Sighing, Thor decided to follow Sif before his headache grew any worse. If there was anyone to trust keeping Loki from the Tesseract, it was Valkyrie.

He found Sif in the cockpit. “Setting a course?” She nodded and from all around them Thor felt the engines kick in as they shot through space.

“Should be able to get there in half a day. Might as well get some sleep.” She looked up at him, smile worn thin. “Thank you for doing this with me, Thor. It’s good to fight by the side of a friend once more.”

“The feeling is shared. It has been too long.”

Sif’s smile only grew more weary as sorrow entered her voice. “The Warriors Three- they are actually…?”

“I'm sorry.”

Dropping her head into her hands, Sif said nothing for a long moment. “If I had been there–”

“Don't,” Thor stopped her. “You said it before- and I said the same. It would have changed nothing. Hela was simply too powerful.”

Sif rose, grabbing Thor's arm. “This Hela, Valkyrie told me of her but she's _your_ sister. I want to hear your thoughts.”

“She was twisted and mad, rotten to the core.” Though seconds after the words fell from his lips, he sighed. “She… she was another of father’s ruinous secrets. Her reasoning, warped as it was, I see how she would have held them. Father locked her away for ambition the same way he cast me to Midgard. But he gave me a second chance in Midgard.” Staring out at space, Thor found his sister’s words coming to him again, about secrets and the blood soaked gold used to hide them away. They were a worrying constant in his quieter moments. “She wasn't mad, really. Father raised her for war and she made war. She was a vicious, heartless killer, but one molded that way. It could have been me. It could have been Loki. She's simply a product of a corrupt vision. Her sin was in embracing that vision and seeing it through.”

“Thor,” Sif's hand tightened on his arm. “It wouldn't have been you. I know you, _nothing_ could turn you into that. Your heart is too strong. Your sense of right is better than that.”

“Thank you for your words, Sif. But it all has too familiar a ring to it.” Watching space fly by, Thor managed a tight smile. “I cannot let myself fall into her footsteps, or Odin’s. If I'm going to lead Asgard,” the words still sounded odd, “then I can't be another lying tyrant.”

“Odin wasn't a tyrant.”

“Not when we knew him,” Thor agreed. “But I saw what the two of them did. That's a bloody legacy on my shoulders.”

Her hand slipping slipping from his arm, the light of determination returned to her eyes. “You _won't_ follow it.”

It was near impossible to keep his dourness under her gaze. “If I start to then you all will be there to smack sense into me.”

“Oh, maybe.” Breaking into a small smile, Sif glanced behind him. “Some of us might be more willing than others. We may have to take turns.”

“I'm sure you'll work out some system.”

The ship shook as they passed through a jump and the world warped. In the silence Thor attempted to tally how many hours it had been since he'd slept. It was, at least, easier than counting his body’s aches. “You mentioned beds?”

Sif started, pushing up from her quiet lean. “I wouldn't call them _beds_ but… if you want sleep then they'll work.” Beckoning him she ducked under the short doorway. “There should be enough space for all three of you.”

They found Loki and Valkyrie sitting opposite each other playing what appeared to be some strange card game. Where they’d gotten the cards, Thor knew not. But it was a relief to see them not at each other's throats and not squabbling over the Tesseract. Whose idea the game had been, he could only guess.

Though that relief didn’t last overly long as Loki immediately regained his haughty silence upon Thor’s arrival. He kept it up even as Sif arranged them an area to rest, clearing away boxes and weapons with nervous haste. She left them with a promise that they’d reach the planet safety.

As Thor leaned against the wall, letting himself relax, he noticed Loki watching him with a careful gaze. Likely it wasn’t the first time Loki had been staring at him when his back was turned.

Though that subtly quickly turned to frustration. “What?” Loki snapped. That Loki asked, as if he hadn’t been the one staring, was as annoying as it was expected.

At the moment, Thor didn’t have the energy to play his game. “Nothing. Sleep well, Loki.”

Appearing stricken for just a moment, Loki said nothing. Thor let the silence stay, confident he’d won some kind of victory.

The rock of the ship eased him into a light sleep, thankfully free of dreams

He awoke to Sif’s hand on his shoulder. “It’s time.”

A wave of bassy music hit him before he even set foot on the planet. Under the layer of grime and fog the neon lights of the outpost shone like beacons. It was all too familiar.

That thought seemed shared by Valkyrie and Loki, who lingered near the ramp to the ship. The distaste on Loki’s face was plain.

A short scaled creature stumbled past them, drink spilling from its loose grip. It crowed at Valkyrie, who made a fist and took a step forward. The thing scurried away with a yelp.

Sif grimaced as she turned away from paying a different short creature. “Let’s get moving. The less time we stay here the better.”

“I agree with Sif,” Loki muttered as they slipped between the crowd. Thor noticed how he still favored his injured shoulder even when the white linens were hidden underneath his repaired armor.

Hoping Loki had left his petty silence in sleep, Thor leaned towards him. “How does that wound feel?” They entered some strange bar, not unlike Sakaar in its patrons but somehow even dirtier, even less reputable. At least the Grandmaster had pretended to keep his guests clean.

After a second of hesitation, Loki shrugged. “Whatever was in that venom seems resistant to any healing methods I know. And it’s slowing my natural healing, unfortunately.” He scowled. “Very annoying but I’ll manage.”

“And… nothing else is amiss?”

Other than a glare, he got no answer to that question as they were shuffled to a small, dark corner by Sif. Scooting into a cramped booth, Sif beckoned them to draw in close. “We’ll wait here. With any luck we could overhear something or they may yet make an appearance.” Realizing Valkyrie had yet to sit, she looked up at her.

Returning the look with a small smirk, Valkyrie nodded along. “Sounds good to me. But in the meantime…” She glanced back at the bar. “I’ll be right back.”

“We shouldn’t…” But Valkyrie was already making her way across the floor. “Attract attention…” Sif frowned at them, looking concerned. “Is that- is she…”

“That's just… how she does things.” Thor explained, quiet as he could over the music. “I’ve learned not to question it.”

Having slumped against the booth, Loki smirked grimly. “At the threat of being run through.” As the neon lights swirled around the room Thor saw Loki shrink back further into the seat, appearing as if he wished to melt into it. “How long are we expecting this to take?”

Sif glanced curiously at Thor, clearly intrigued by Loki’s odd misery. “Uh… it depends, I suppose.”

“I never thought it possible to hate space more. What a fool I was.”

As Loki groaned, Thor managed a weak half-smile at Sif that he knew answered none of her questions. But that front he could hardly begin to explain. “Midgard has these type of establishments too.”

Fixing Thor with an annoyed scowl, Loki rolled his eyes. “I never said I _didn’t_ despise Midgard. But out here it’s… different.” Some low tremor went through his voice.

It was a familiar sound. One Thor had heard before but most recently with the discussion of Thanos. “How?” Hoping that Loki wouldn’t shut down, Thor kept his curiosity as innocent sounding as he could.

They labored under a long silence before Loki ran a hand down his face and squared his shoulders. “There’s… there’s nowhere to run.” To that, Thor couldn’t find a response. “Not that I– At least in the Ni- Eight Realms there are passages between them. Ways to travel unseen if needed. Here…”

“We don’t have to run, Loki.”

Loki’s eyes were hard to read under the flashing neon green. “You don’t.”

Finding himself defensive, Thor thought again to the way Loki shirked the name of Thanos. “I’m not going to abandon you to that- that monster. You have to know that.”

“Then you might have to run as well. And you don’t want to be in _space_ when you do.”

With that warning, the three of them settled into an oppressive silence. One that Valkyrie broke as she returned toting two drinks and a plate of some undefinable food. Her bottle she clunked to the table and the other she held out to Sif.

Sif stared at it. As did Thor.

Valkyrie cleared her throat. “I mean if you don’t want it I’ll have it.”

“Oh, uh, no- no I do,” Sif took the bottle, stammering. Though the neon purple lit up their faces Thor swore he saw Sif blushing as she ducked her head. “Many thanks.”

Popping open her drink, Valkyrie just smirked an acknowledgement and leaned back. “Don’t mention it.” She downed half the thing in one swig, something that never failed to amaze despite how many times Thor had seen her accomplish the feat. And Sif seemed vaguely starstruck watching her do it.

Beside Thor, Loki leaned into view to pick at the strange purple fare with a disdainful expression. “You know what I miss?”

Valkyrie’s glass clinked against the table. “What?” Either she hadn't noticed Loki's disgust or didn't care. Thor guessed the latter.

“Meat that I can identify,” Loki said mournfully. Thor patted him on the back with condolences out of habit.

“Eh,” Valkyrie shrugged, picking up a strip of the food and popping it into her mouth. “Food is food out here. And…” she took another swig of her bottle, swallowing hard. “It’s not half bad when you wash it down with this stuff.”

Though Thor grinned he saw the unamused expression on Loki’s face. “Yes,” his voice was deadpan, “so glad you brought enough for all of us.”

“Hey, I only have so many hands. And I’m not the one with fancy honed seidr now am I?” Valkyrie grinned as Sif smiled into her drink.

“Get up, Thor.” Elbowing him hard in the ribs until he scooted out of the booth, Loki huffed with annoyance and headed for the bar.

“Wow,” Sif said, “I can’t believe that worked.”

Valkyrie met Thor’s gaze. “See, the trick is complimenting him when you’re telling him what to do. Works almost every time. Or…” she laughed to herself. “Or knock him out and tie him up that worked pretty well the once.”

Laughing despite himself, Thor reluctantly nodded. “Neither sound untrue.”

As the music changed Thor heard a strange whistling sound, almost imperceptible. He glanced around, searching for its origin. Even as the beat picked up, the sound continued, louder like a distant scream. “Do you…” It was growing only louder.

Sif stood abruptly, crashing her knees into the table with a curse. “Shit, that- that sound. It’s what the survivors described-”

With a shriek like the wind the front of the building was torn apart. The neon lights shut off, throwing them into darkness save for the dim light pouring in from the ruined front. Screams echoed around the room and seconds later gunfire lit the air in short, blinding bursts.

“Out, out! We need to get outside!” Sif’s hand grabbed his wrist and they ducked under gunfire sprinting for the open air.

Thor heard gunfire fly over his head, felt the heat of it on his neck.

 _“Asgardians!"_   The voice that screamed for them was high, otherworldly, furious. It struck a strange chord deep in Thor’s chest and raised the hair on his arms, sinking through his flesh like ice. “Do you flee like cowards?!”

He felt Sif slowing and followed suit. In the bursts of gunfire and the now close neon light from outside Thor saw twelve figures emerge from the crowd. Mist trailed them, hissing low. Their forms were emaciated, their armor torn and faded yet vaguely familiar, a strange greenish aura lit their eyes and seemed to follow them. Even in the dim light their oversharp teeth gleamed. Their drawn weapons were of the old sort, swords and daggers; nothing like the guns pointed at them. These women, because they were even when so warped, stared at the three of them, unharried by the guns trained on their ragged bodies.

“Do you know us?” The lead spoke, voice like nails on stone. On her head was a strange thorny crown.

Uncertain but wary, Thor hazarded a glance to Sif, who just shook her head. Valkyrie said nothing and only stared, face drawn to a tight- almost uncertain scowl.

“I see.” Soon as she spoke one of the guns pointed their way went off. It shot through her head, exploding in a shower of sparks on the far wall. Thor flinched at the sound and when he opened his eyes the offender was in pieces and the hole the bullet had made through her skull was healed. The woman cleaned her blade, not turning from them.

Thor’s heart skipped a beat.

The corpse woman spoke again. “We have business with you, Asgardians.”

“How did you find us?” Sif stepped forward, spear in her hand. Her face was curled into a snarl.

The woman regarded her for a long moment while those behind her shifted, eyes flashing green. “You are of Asgard. The Dísir know you.”

“The Dís-” Thor gulped. The Dísir were nothing but an old legend that every child knew, Bor’s handmaidens from a forgotten age who appeared when their name was spoken to devour the lost spirits of Asgard’s dead. 

Sif laughed without humor. “The Dís-folk are myths.”

The lead’s smile was viciously exaggerated by her wolfish teeth. “Bor’s brood? Yes, they are. Nevertheless.”

That she knew Bor’s name gave Thor pause. These weren't some pretender aliens, or if they were they'd studied well. “How can you be the Dís- Dís-folk and yet not?” Putting a hand on Sif’s shoulder, Thor held her back. The false-Dísir may have attacked first but they were not now.

“A name is a name. Those who earn it, who have abandoned any other, can take what they wish.” Bitterness leaked into her voice. “Myths are as easy as death to make real, Asgardian. And curses are curses no matter who of your bloodline weaves them.”

“Why are you here?” Thor asked, still holding Sif back. The woman's words held old menace.

The leader pointed her finger at him. “Your blood.”

Going cold, Thor balled his fists. “Sorry, you can't have that. Anything else?” With a deep breath, he felt lightning spark in his veins. “Maybe a drink?”

Sif snarled next to him. “Or your own guts, murderers.”

It almost looked like the woman sighed as she adjusted the grip on her blade. “Regrettable.” All around her her sisters bared their teeth.

Electricity arced across Thor's fists.

Before any of them could move, a dagger flew through the leader’s chest, thunking into the wall beside Thor's head where it stuck, smoking green. Thor recognized it.

The Dísir split and turned to where the dagger had been thrown.

Loki looked as surprised as they did. “Hello ladies,” he managed, smiling loosely at them as if he hadn’t tried to kill their leader. “That usually works.” In the moment before the Dísir leapt to action, Loki ducked out of sight.

They struck faster and harder than anything Thor had fought before, save maybe Hela and the Hulk. Though he had little time to compare. Two of them grabbed him, their oversharp fingernails digging into his arms. In the second before their blades drove into his neck, lightning roared from the sky. The thunder shook the ground and Thor heard them shriek as they were thrown back.

Sif charged three of them, but even as Thor watched her spear simply passed through them as their ghostly flesh appeared to heal itself instantly and they barely missed a beat. Parrying their strikes Sif backed up quickly, snarling. “I can't-” she ducked under a blade and lashed out at one’s knee. The blow did nothing. “Can't hurt them!”

Punching another back with a bolt, Thor made it to her side. “My lightning-” The one he’d thrown aside pounced again on him, smoking but otherwise unharmed. Her blade scored down his arm in a white hot line. Kicking her away, Thor grit his teeth from the pain. “The lightning keeps them back!”

In the seconds rest he had, Thor searched for Valkyrie and Loki. The latter of which Thor found when Loki slid under the grasping hands of a pair of Dísir to stumble towards him. Scratches scored across his armor but it seemed he had no new injuries. Though he cradled his bad shoulder tight. “We can't stay!”

“No!” Sif shouted, furious.

“We can't even _hit_ them, Sif!” Sweeping the legs from under a Dísir that charged him, Loki shouted back sounding just as enraged. “I won't have your idiotic plan for vengeance kill us- _ah-gh_!” One of the Dísir’s daggers struck in Loki's bad shoulder and he went down on one knee as the dagger disappeared from his flesh and reappeared in one of the Dísir’s hand, dripping heavy red.

Thor threw the offender back before she could strike a finishing blow. For once, he agreed with Loki. Hooking his brother under the arm, Thor gathered himself for another blast strong enough to clear them a path. “He's right, Sif. We must go.” The hum in his veins grew louder, demanding to be freed. He denied it, for now.

Sif grimaced but seemed to realize the truth of it.

But before she could speak a monstrous shriek rose from the Dísir, burning through Thor’s body. He turned, storm still pooling deep within him.

The Dísir that had struck Loki stared at her dagger, at the blood dripping from it. “Sisters. It's been so long- so _so_ long since we’ve tasted the blood of creatures from the Nine Realms.” To Thor's horror, she licked the blade and hissed in surprise. “Jotun! What sorcery?” Shuddering, she glared at Loki.

Thor heard Loki bark a bitter laugh. “Sorry to disappoint.”

One of her sisters, the crowned leader, held out a hand. “Hlökk.” She muttered, cautionary. The name rang through Thor's head, familiar.

From the doorway, Thor heard Valkyrie cry out, an anguished sound. “No! _No!”_ And suddenly, horribly, Thor knew why the women’s armor had struck him. Torn and faded, warped yet when seen for what they were, unmistakable.

The armor of the Valkyrior shone no matter the countless years that marred it.

The realization almost broke the storm building in his veins.

But even as he reigned himself in, Hlökk who had tasted Loki’s blood continued to shudder and the others followed suit.

“We- we have to _go,"_  Loki hissed in his ear, voice shaking.

The stories of Dísir’s bloodlust too fresh in his mind, Thor nodded. Loki was right. “Sif,” Thor commanded as the reddish mist surrounding the Dísir-Valkyrior thickened. “Grab Valkyrie and let’s go.” Without waiting for her to respond, Thor sucked in a deep breath and smelt the ozone. There was a second of utter silence, a break in the building storm above them. Then the world lit blindingly blue-white.

Even as the bolt hit, Thor ran, taking Loki with him. The shriek of the Dísir whined a high note as he glanced back to see the building they’d been in explode, a whirling cloud of scarlet and sickly green filled with toothed maws and cutting blades. Blood fell with stone and metal. His heart skipped a beat. Crumbled stone from the destroyed building crunched underfoot as he sprinted through the streets towards their ship, fleeing what the Dísir had become. He heard Sif behind him and a shouting Valkyrie, incoherent.

The ship came into view, ramp descending. Thor boarded it in two bounds with Sif following. Before the ramp slammed shut he heard the Dísir scream again, furious. Sif dropped Valkyrie and bolted out of sight. Their engines started up a moment later as they took off.

And even from inside the ship, Thor heard the Dísir. “Asgardians, you cannot run forever!” Somehow their voices had grown even stranger. Harsh as blade against stone. Ravenous. “Blood must be paid!”

Then the ship sped up and all sounded faded away as Thor felt them take a jump to safety. On his arm, Loki sighed with relief. Checking Loki’s shoulder, he frowned at the blood leaking from it. “Damn.”

With the ship’s engines and Loki’s strained breathing Thor did his best to ignore Valkyrie’s broken almost-sobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The instant I realized I could incorporate the Disir, aka some of my favorite Thor comic creations, into this story by adapting them from the existing story was a very exciting moment. Hope to keep things on schedule!


	8. Chapter 8

Whatever course Sif had put them on the ship never stopped. The hum of the engines was constant even as they sat in silence, trying to find something to say. The maw of the false Dísir burned itself into Thor’s mind. Though they may not be the true dread warriors of myth, they seemed all too close for comfort. All too much like the nightmare inducing tales of his youth. And that was ignoring Valkyrie. Something Thor loathed to do on principle alone.

Loki managed to speak first. “How long until we run out of fuel?”

“A good while. Luckily we refueled at the trading outpost,” but Sif sighed nevertheless. “We’ll run out of food first.”

“Damn,” Loki muttered, rolling his wounded shoulder with a grimace.

Glancing to Valkyrie, who'd stayed utterly silent since they'd taken off, only taking a drink from Loki’s hands with a grunt, Thor made for tentative optimism. “We escaped them, how could they find us again? And no one knows where the Ark is but us.” Though fleeing sat ill in Thor’s chest; it wasn’t a permanent solution and he knew it.

Loki shook his head. “I think they're following the scent of Asgardian blood.”

“Yes,” Sif said, looking almost sick with anger, “the places they attacked- those were places I'd been, all of them. I drew them to those people. _I-”_ She ducked her head, voice breaking as Thor saw her take responsibility for the deaths of her friends.

“So unless you three can find some way to change your blood, they'll find us.” Loki's voice grew detached as he gazed at the three of them. It was a cover Thor knew well enough. “They'll keep chasing us. Or maybe they'll find the Ark and Asgard. _That_ would be a bloodbath I think we’d all prefer to avoid.”

The image of slaughtered Asgard leapt woefully easy to Thor’s mind. He grit his teeth, willing it away. “How are they… even here? The Dís…folk are myths and the Val-” he glanced to Valkyrie, who still hadn't moved but was surely in earshot from where she slumped against the floor. “The Valkyrior died.”

“Hela.” Loki scowled. “With the Eternal Flame she was able to bring to life those old warriors and her _dog._ She wouldn't have had that but with enough experimentation- enough _time_ _,_ enough creativity… things she clearly possessed in her exile- well, she was the Goddess of Death for a reason.” Thor saw Sif glare at the ground, forming some deep grudge against a person she’d never met. He couldn’t blame her. “And the myth of the Dís-folk,” Loki tensed, wary, “was around long before even Hela. Spite is the finest motivator and old stories are easy inspiration for deeds of that magnitude. I can see her justifying a certain twisted pleasure in corrupting Odin’s warriors to resemble the most infamous, mythical failure of Bor’s rule. There's a certain poetic element to it.”

“Only you would think of it that way,” Sif snipped at Loki, glancing nervously to Valkyrie. In return, Loki pulled a sour face, though did fall quiet. “The real question is: how are they here? No sign of them until…” she sighed. “Until around when Hela returned, so you say. But then, why didn't they just go after Asgard? Why out of the Nine Realms?”

A possible answer came to Thor in the luminescent green of their eyes. “Hela could have had some level of control over them if she was indeed who animated them. I doubt they harbor much love for her but her bidding was likely their whim. Maybe they simply hung in the wings, or were struck away, unable to interfere with the Siege of Asgard as they could have. After all, they didn't attack us on sight, it seems they have some level of sentience beyond mere bloodlust.”

“But if they're Hela’s constructs shouldn't they have died when she did?”

Not even attempting to answer that question, Thor looked expectantly at Loki.

“Who's to say she's even dead?” Loki shrugged, though seemed mildly gratified to be needed in answering the query. “But assuming she did… A strong enough curse, one that feeds off of something other than its caster’s seidr, could in theory persist past the death of she who created it.”

“But that's not common?” Thor asked, remembering how all of the enchantments surrounding Loki's quarters had faded away when Loki fell from the Bifrost. It hadn’t been death, as Thor learned, but obviously something sinisterly close.

“No. Not remotely. Hela, however, didn't seem much of the _common_ sort.” Loki's eyes fogged for a few moments. “I've never… never tried a curse so lasting like that before. But every spell connects back to its creator somehow, there’s no way to avoid _every_ link. If we could find that connection we could break it but…” For a moment, Loki’s thoughtful mask twitched and he glanced up to Thor. The emotion in his eyes disappeared before Thor could catch it. Loki shook his head, almost to himself. “If Hela is dead or destroyed to a point she can never recover then I have few ideas on where to start without being swiftly chopped to pieces. Or we could kill them. That would break whatever curse has a hold of their souls.”

Sif sighed, a heavy dark sound. “We can hardly hurt them.” In response, Loki barked a bitter laugh of agreement.

They fell into dour silence. Taking to pacing, Thor mulled over what they’d learned of the Dísir through their short fight. Hela’s magicks had enhanced them, that was clear. They’d struck faster than Valkyrie ever did, which meant a great deal after seeing her operate. The mist that surrounded them must hold some properties, he’d loath to find out what. Then there were their blood hungry forms, ripped whole cloth from the tales of old. Hela must have been a fan. From what he knew of her, and what he guessed her upbringing had been, it wasn’t a surprise. Loki too had been enamored with the concept of the Dísir for a fair number of years before he put away the obsession.

Glancing at his brother, Thor watched him unwrap the bandages surrounding his shoulder. Whatever the venom of his original wound, it still looked unhealed. The fresh blood from the Dísir’s blade Loki wiped away with a quick word. Thor saw him ghost a hand across the wound, muttering to himself. Yet if it was an attempt to suture the skin, it didn’t work.

In that instant, Thor found a solution to their problem. And by the way Loki’s head shot up, he did too.

Thor beat him to it. “Seidr is what keeps them safe from harm, right? What if we fought with something resistant to that healing seidr?” Sif started, not quite frowning. She glanced from Thor to Loki, fixating on Loki’s shoulder the same way Thor had. “Maybe that could fight their regenerative properties. Loki?”

Smiling with what almost looked like pride at Thor's deduction, Loki nodded. “No curse is perfect. There must be some loophole to exploit. Might be mad but it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve relied on such scarce odds.”

“It’s the best idea we have right now,” Sif fidgeted with her armor nervously, though there was determination in her voice. “And we know where to get such venom. As long as we do it quickly we should be able to stay ahead of them in time to prepare ourselves. They must be stopped, to defend Asgard and- and the legacy of the Valkyrior.” Her words shook with a deep anger for just an instant, indicative of some deep personal betrayal she must have felt. But the anger wavered as she looked past Thor to Valkyrie. “If… if we’re all in agreement that they must go.”

Practically holding his breath, Thor turned to watch Valkyrie. She didn’t move. The bottle in her hand was empty.

Clearing her throat, Sif took a tentative step towards Valkyrie. “What do you think of this plan, Valkyrie?”

With a sigh, Valkyrie stood. She wobbled a bit but squared her shoulders. Her eyes were dull as she stared down Sif. “Do it if y’think it’ll work.” Where had been sorrow was replaced by a bone numbing exhaustion that made Thor’s breath catch in his throat. “I- I don’t care.” Though she clearly did, they let the lie slide.

Nodding, Sif watched Valkyrie for another few seconds, lips pursed to a small frown. “Then I’ll set course for that planet I found you on.” Swiveling to Thor and Loki, she waved a hand towards a stack of weapons. “Look through there, see if there’s something you think will work well against them. We’ll need all the advantage we can manage. I’ll be up front.” With a last sad look towards Valkyrie, Sif swept from the room.

Valkyrie immediately collapsed back to the floor, crossing her arms tight and looking away from the two of them.

Loki grimaced at him. “Before we do as Sif said…” his gaze led Thor to the box storing the Tesseract. “Things must be dealt with. And _don’t_ despute this, its a part of our deal,” he added with extra venom.

Annoyed more by the addition than the prospect of dealing with the Tesseract, Thor frowned at Loki. “I wasn’t going to.”

“Sure,” Loki scoffed, just standing there, hands on his hips. After a few moments of silence, he impatiently gestured for the box. “You going to get it or not? Since you shan’t have me anywhere near it except when _‘absolutely necessary.'_ Where those your words?”

“There’s no need to be so difficult,” Thor said as he scooped the thing up. He heard Loki hiss a quick breath but ignored it. If Loki would be so argumentative then Thor would play along for a time. Something about it was rather therapeutic, as long as they weren’t at each others throats in any way but metaphorically. He clicked the button on the side of the box and it sprung open.

The Tesseract’s song filled the air. The light it threw onto the ceiling was a brilliant blue. For half a second, Thor felt himself relax as if dipped in warm water. But he shook it off, remembering himself.

Loki dropped the tension he held in his body and sighed, drawing closer. He lingered over the box, hands outstretched.

Thor coughed over-loud, breaking his trance. “Do you need to pick it up?” Noting how Loki cycled from surprise at the question through to muted reverence as he plucked the cube from the box, Thor decided once and for all to assure that Heimdall took care of the thing. Nothing about Loki’s half-smile was natural.

Lifting the thing, Loki’s eyes fluttered shut. He murmured silently to himself for a long moment. When he opened his eyes again they seemed bluer than normal, though that disappeared as if a trick of the light. Thor didn’t know what to make of it but noted it anyway. Marking it down in the list he built of reasons to keep Loki from the thing. “Stand back, let me work.”

Thor did so reluctantly. And watched as the cube lifted off Loki's palm into the air, glittering a deadly blue. The swirls within it picked up speed, creating an almost hypnotic looping pattern only broken by the hard edges of the cube. As Loki murmured the hum that filled the air took on a ghastly whining quality almost as if the cube were screaming at its entrapment. It made Thor shiver despite himself.

“How,” he started, unsure if Loki would snap at him for speaking, “does it break your wards then?”

Loki's eyes cracked open. “If I _knew_ I wouldn’t have such issues in the first place.” He grimaced as the cube wavered in the air. “I-” it stabilized slowly and Loki sighed. “If I must guess, I’d assume the gem stored within it is not content to be shackled.” He spoke the words with veiled sympathy that made Thor uneasy.

“It's merely an energy source, Loki, not some sentient being. I doubt it as any such opinions on how it is contained.” Thinking of Vision, who by all purposes was powered by his gem, yet not ruled by it, Thor hoped to impress that difference upon Loki.

The unfortunate moment of introducing Loki to he who had been his staff popped into Thor's mind. No doubt that would be rather ugly. If the cube was any precedent Loki took a rather dangerous possessive angle over any Infinity Gems that fell into his hands. Though Vision could handle himself, that Thor knew. Such a meeting was a long way off, beyond worrying about when other pressing matters were at hand.

With a noncommittal sound, Loki shut his eyes again. Ever so slowly, the cube calmed. It's hum took a muted tone, as if muffled, and its brilliant glow faded to duller blues.

When, at last, the cube fell back to Loki's waiting palm its distinct presence had fallen away. Loki looked again sympathetic as he dropped the cube back into its box. “What a pity to chain something so beautiful.”

Thor kicked the box back to its place with more than an ounce of vindictive annoyance. “It's really not.” He resisted the urge to grab Loki's wrist and drag him back to their task. Instead, he used words in hopes they'd prove as effective. “We have a duty, remember? Valkyrie, would you like to…” but when he turned, Valkyrie was nowhere to be found. For her sake he hoped she'd gone to find sleep and not more booze.

Having noticed as well, Loki raised an eyebrow.

“Do you think we should…” Thor hesitated, “go after her? I can only begin to fathom what she feels. She lost… _everything_ _._ Again.”

Loki paused, watching Thor intently for a long silent few seconds. His gaze strayed to Thor's missing eye. Thor resisted the urge to reach for it. Picking up a serrated blade, Loki cleared his throat and tested its balance. He discarded it back into the pile with a scowl. “No, I'm sure it's not the loveliest time. Bit of a shock and all.” Extracting a barbed whip, Loki eyed it with interest, any trace of his previous pensiveness hidden almost perfectly under snappishness. “I took the gamble to get her on your side in the first place. That left me bloody nosed and tied up in a _filthy_ room- even if it did work.” He added with a bit of pride. “I'd rather not continue the trend.”

“Right.” When Thor turned he brushed at the patch over his ruined eye. It had been a habit he'd adapted, the kind of nervous gesture he knew Loki would pick up on and begin to analyze. Despite that, he hadn't managed to break the habit yet. “And I wouldn't even know where to start.”

“Then let's not.”

Thor met Loki's eye. “I do _want_ to, though.” And he did. It felt wrong to do nothing.

“Of course, because it's the right thing to do. Very noble. _Very_ Thor.” With a scathing look Loki set the whip aside.

“Oh, we’re not doing this now. Not over _this_ _."_  Abandoning his task, Thor matched Loki's look. “I'm not even going to argue with you. Pretending like you're above empathy never got us anywhere.”

It seemed to take Loki aback. “I am _not_ _._ Never mind that.” His voice fell flat as he looked down, either in shame or shock that he'd been caught up so quickly in his snippiness. It was another mark against the Tesseract’s influence on Thor’s quickly growing list.

The reaction was nothing if not a tiny bit gratifying. Though it did mean the spent the rest of their task in almost total silence, a regrettable aftereffect. And by the time they reached the planet they'd collected a suitable pile of weapons.

Touching down brought with it a sense of dread. There was safety in flight; here though, not only did the scaled wolves stalk the swamps but death came from above. And Thor couldn't be sure if his lightning would again work on the Dísir; if their wits were as sharp as they appeared he guessed they'd anticipate that trick.

By the time they made it out to the mud, Valkyrie had stumbled from her slumber, smoothing back her rumpled hair. She made no attempt to greet them as she flipped her sword restlessly in her hand.

The four of them hardly spoke as they stalked through the mud. Though it looked like Loki favored his bad shoulder more than usual. Something Thor compensated for by staying on Loki's bad side. He got no thanks, not that he expected any, but Loki's vague glare did soften as he seemed to realize what Thor was doing.

In the light of day, still made surprisingly dim by the canopy cover and seemingly never ending rain clouds, finding the wolves that had once hunted them wasn't a difficult task. By the way they tracked around, leaving destroyed greenery in their wake, they were unused to being hunted.

“We likely don't need many,” Loki finally said as they closed in on a pack. “A handful could keep our weapons more than soaked in the venom.” It was only minutes later that they found their prey and the haze of battle settled in.

The task they gave themselves was a bloody one. Knowing what they did of the venom made only the urgency of dodging the strange dogs stingers more prevalent but no easier. Mostly, Thor focused on his prey. Though once he did throw a wolf off his shoulder and watched Sif spear it through the chest to stick into the mud. She'd narrowed her eyes at the thumbs-up he'd given her, vaguely confused.

It reminded him he'd need to set up an etiquette class before they reached Midgard. Though before he could decide who, other than himself, could teach it- _Heimdall likely had knowledge but no personal experience, Loki had some of both but a general distaste for a place he couldn't be certain wouldn't rub off in such lessons_ \- another wolf attacked his legs and he kicked it away, where it crashed into a tree trunk. Such a problem was one for another time. A time after they survived this battle, or the next.

In the end they only dealt with under a dozen of the venomous things. Sitting around the same seidr induced fire that had attracted the creatures not so long ago, Thor tried not to wrinkle his nose at dissecting the things. Beside him Valkyrie sliced hers open with a stone cold expression and little delicacy. Loki too looked detached from the experience, though a hint of viciousness curled his lip, something that had persisted through the fight. It seemed he held some a fair grudge against them. Sif, having drawn the longest straw in their bloody competition, watched the sky for the Dísir.

Though she wasn't doing so now as she kneeled beside Valkyrie. She watched Valkyrie carve with practiced detachment that likely would have made Loki proud had he not been otherwise occupied. “No, not there. There.” Pointing at the creature, Sif reached for Valkyrie with her other hand.

Thor held his breath unconsciously.

Valkyrie paused, appearing as surprised as Thor at the touch. But after a moment she followed Sif's direction, carefully cutting into the creature. “Thanks,” she managed shortly. It was the first word she'd spoken in hours.

Sif nodded but didn't move away. There was a clever gleam in her eyes Thor recognized. She wanted something, something he guessed had to due with Valkyrie’s despondency. That assumption was only cemented as she sat next to her. “Valkyrie, I'm sorry for your loss- for what happened to your friends. They must have meant everything to you.”

Stopping stiffly, Valkyrie bobbed her head. “Yeah, everything, they were _everything_. More than everything.”

“There's no way we can make it right.”

“Yeah,” Valkyrie repeated. She cleared her throat and discarded the wolf she worked on. “Yeah, there really isn't.”

“You know… we were always taught of the Valkyrior as symbols of justice and good. Things to be looked up to.” Sif's voice grew misty for just a moment. “Everything we strived to be, everything _I_ trained to be for centuries. That's the Valkyrior I was molded by. _Symbols._ But… you're not that symbol. I see that now.” Her tone lost its nostalgia, but didn't harden. “You- the Valkyrior- were just people. Same as all of us. I thought of the Dís-folk as corrupted symbols when we learned of them, _things_ that needed ridding of to preserve what was good about the _things_ we were taught about. But in seeing your reaction, it reminded me of what they are, _truly._ It makes me regret the anger I held towards them, what I said on the ship about them needing exterminating for the honor of a long gone order. That order isn’t important, _they_ were. Their dignity is less important than their lives.” Valkyrie was watching Sif now, eyes shadowed. “What happened to them- happened to _you-_ was a tragedy. Tragedies never really go away, not when there are those still living who've survived them. That doesn't mean the wounds have to fester, though. You can let them heal, draw out the poison.”

Staring up at the canopy, Valkyrie bit her lip, seeming to waver on speaking. Finally she tipped over the edge. “I saw Ama.” Thor flinched, remembering the name and the sorrow on the top of that cold Alfheim mountain. “She was there. So many weren't, some must not have been turned into… into _that_ . Why did it have to be her? Why any of them? _Any_ -” her voice broke and she shuddered a breath, wiping at her face with the back of her hand. “I thought it would be over with Hela. I thought we could kill that hag and move on. But no, Hela never made anything fair or easy, even when she was on our side. I should have expected--”

“It was a start,” Sif offered.

“Should have been the end.” The bitterness in Valkyrie’s voice was painful to witness. “But _no_ _._ Hela- Odin-” she looked to Thor, “everyone who did this is dead but it's not _over_ _._ It's a nightmare. How am I supposed to fight Ama, or any of them? I _loved_ them. They were everything. And now I see that they've killed innocent people. How am I supposed to live with that? How am I supposed to... to kill them?”

The swamp was eerily quiet without their voices. It was Sif who again answered. “Would you want them to kill you, if you were in their place?”

Valkyrie flinched. “Fuck, I… yes of course. I know it's stupid to even be sad over this. The Dís-folk, that's not them, not who they were. It's better for everyone if their dead. I just… it's stupid.”

“No, it's not stupid.” Sif's hand was on Valkyrie’s shoulder but she glanced between Thor and Loki. “Fighting the people you care about is nothing but another tragedy. Sometimes it's avoidable, sometimes not, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.”

Thor didn't dare look at Loki. The air itself seemed too thick to breathe quite right, as if two gasps did the job of one.

Valkyrie nodded, watching Sif's hand carefully. “Course. Doing this to them- killing what they became- that's what has to be done. No matter what they endured they still did horrible things and have to pay in the same breath that they might be freed. I _know_ that even if I’m not going to enjoy doing the deed. It'll wipe the last of Hela’s schemes away. That’s a right I’ve earned.” When she turned to the rest of them she wore a twisted half-smile. “And I know just the place to do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College is back in session now but hopefully I'll stay on schedule. Next weeks chapter is finished and I've started the last chapter. I'll try my hardest to keep this regular publishing until I wind this thing down. Again, thanks so much for comments they really do mean so much to me.


	9. Chapter 9

Niflheim’s beaches- a thing Thor hadn't even known existed until they touched down- were of black glass sand. The thunder of breaking waves overcame that of the ship's engines. Staring out at the horizon, Thor frowned at the strange dark pillars rising from the water like monoliths; they reminded him vaguely of Muspelheim though the air possessed none of the monstrous heat of its fellow. Some old volcanic strangeness, he assumed. Though long dead as everything in this realm appeared to be.

“When the sagas spoke of the _“shores of Niflheim”_ I never really expected it to be so literal,” Thor said to no one in particular, awestruck. The fury of the waves was inspiring. They broke like thunder upon the rocks, sharper and wilder than Asgard’s sea in the strongest storm.

It was Valkyrie who answered him with a bitter laugh. “Let me guess? Odin didn't teach you much about the place. Doesn't sound like him _at all.”_

Loki, who ran the black sand between his fingers, shot a dark look to Thor. “The libraries of Asgard were always scarce on this realm. Travel to it was very much discouraged. We were never allowed to visit it without a strict guard.” As he kneeled his hair whipped around his face by the tempest.

“So how many times did you sneak here?” Sif sounded more genuinely expectant than annoyed. Perhaps even a smidgen jealous.

“Oh, only a handful,” Loki’s smile held a hint of smugness. “I concluded fairly quickly that there were better things to be doing with my time then spending hours sulking around in a realm utterly devoid of resource or life. The only interesting thing about it was-”

“Was that it happened to be the only place Odin could have hoped to shackle Hela,” Valkyrie interrupted.

To Thor's surprise, Loki simply nodded. “That explains the traces of ancient seidr I found. Do you know what his reason was for choosing here?”

Leading their charge by leaping up a rocky cliff away from the roaring waves, Valkyrie shrugged. “I dunno, we just did the job. Something about how it held a special connection to the dead. Obviously Niflheim isn't the literal _“realm of the dead”_ but it might be the closest thing to it we've got.” She scowled. “No better place to lock of your awful kid in limbo for thousands of years while you go cover your fuck ups. And-” she paused as they marched over a black stone ridge.

The land that stretched out before them was scored with battle. The columns that rose high into the air were scarred and sliced, a few toppled, evidence of Hela’s abilities. The very air seemed to sizzle with old seidr even Thor could recognize. Beside him, Loki’s breath audibly caught.

“No better place to bury the Valkyrior at the same time.”

“Is this,” Sif started, sounding awestruck. “This where it happened?” Valkyrie merely nodded. “You're right. This is the best place to end it, break the curse where it started. Valkyrie, you-”

“I'm not- I…”  Valkyrie ducked her head, staring at the black glass sand. She grimaced. “The Valkyrior are dead. They're gone and calling me that won't bring them back. I took that moniker to keep them alive. But… they're not. You were right, Sif, leave the Valkyrior in legends but bring out the people who were behind them. Ama, Göndul, Hlökk, Kára, all of them. There's no _one_ Valkyrie. We were sisters or we were nothing. Brunhilde. My name is Brunhilde.”

For a long moment the ancient battlefield was utterly silent. But Thor finally found his voice. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Brunhilde.”

“Don't get all formal on me, your majesty,” she shot back. And though she didn’t smile her eyes held some humor. “We might all be about to die, there's no time for that shit now. It always took too long even under the best of circumstances.”

Glancing to the grey clouded sky, Thor unsheathed his axe. The venom that coated it gave it a sickly yellow sheen. The others followed suit, Sif with her spear, which she twirled nervously, Loki pulled a pair of daggers from thin air. Brunhilde tossed her blade between her hands, shuffling at the black dirt. Now it was only a matter of waiting for the inevitable.

A storm began to brew overhead, turning the grey clouds black as the rock beneath them.

“Thor,” Loki started, staring at the storm clouds. “If worse comes to worst can I rely on you to assure we do not end up in the maw of the Dís-folk?”

“We won't fail--”

“But if we do.” Loki met Thor's eye, deadly serious. “I'm simply planning ahead.”

“I'm not going to electrocute you to death.”

“I was picturing more _vaporizing_ and less electrocution.” Loki's smile was tight and insincere. “But if you are so confident…”

For a moment Thor considered the possibility. It would be a preferred alternative to the ever hungry Dísir. He knew he _could_ if enraged enough. He'd done so to his enemies before. He glanced from Loki to Sif to Brunhilde, back to Loki in quick succession. But never had he turned that power on his friends, his family. Not in that way. “No,” Thor managed, shaking his head. “I can't do that.”

“Can't or won't?”

Thor answered the ribbing question with a shake of his head. To his relief, Loki said no more though he dipped his head and muttered something to himself. Whatever it was, Thor gave it little thought. What would come would come.

It wasn't long after that a whine filled the air. Thor readied himself, each beat of his heart accompanied by thrumming electricity that sparked across his fingers and up his axe.

Around him, his friends shifted. Brunhilde’s voice sounded on his right. “If we're all in favor of nerves induced last minute confessions. Uh- _thank_ you.” Her laugh was wild, a hint mad. “Thank you all so fucking much. I'd still be stuck on that dump without you guys.” She hesitated, though not long as the whine pitched its frequency higher and closer. “And, Sif, you seem cool. Really cool.” Thor tore his gaze from the clouds to glance towards Brunhilde. She met his eye. “Okay, I can't be the only one, that's not how these things work.”

Despite the moment, Thor smiled. “I've faced near impossible odds before. Hela, a flying city full of robots, the Convergence, an alien attack from the sky itself.” He resisted the urge to glance towards Loki. “I'm glad each time I faced them with friends. This is no different.”

Though he didn't look directly at Loki, out of the corner of his eye Thor saw him duck his head and brush a hand near his face. “I’d rather-” his voice pitched for just a moment, “rather die fighting with you than against you.” The words came out hurried, though when he raised his head his face was steely cool.

After a beat of listening only to the whine of the incoming Dísir, Sif cleared her throat. “My turn then?” Her laugh was strained as Brunhilde’s. “Thor, I’d rather have you fighting by my side than anyone else. It's been too long.” Though he couldn't see her, Thor nodded. “Loki, you and you alone threw me to the wolves of space with nothing but my wits. You destroyed the life I had… but you may have saved it in the process. This _isn't_ forgiveness.” Thor saw Loki glance back towards Sif, eyes dark. The pause didn't last long. “And Val- Brunhilde, thank you. For inspiring me when I was young, for helping me understand, for- for the compliment. I- um… feel the same. You're… not what I imagined but better in many ways.”

And before any further words could be exchanged, the Dísir broke the cloud line. In a column of grey mist they descended upon the stone. Their weapons were drawn, their teeth bared, but they did not move further upon them.

Thor found his voice. “You don't have to do this.”

The lead, who he guessed was Göndul, shook her crowned head. “We do. Blood for blood to break this curse.”

“There are other ways.” Thor shifted the grip on his poisoned axe.

“No.”

“Then so be it.” With a flex of his hand, lightning struck the space where the Dísir stood.

In an instant, the world dissolved into fury. Before the light from the electricity had even faded Thor felt blades scrape against his armor. Breaking from the grip one of the Dísir had on him, Thor lashed out. His first swing forced her back. His second scored into her shoulder. As the blade cut, Thor watched her skin struggle to repair itself. She hissed in surprise, scurrying away.

The sense of triumph didn’t last long as the wound knit itself back together slowly but surely. The Dísir bared her teeth at him and drove towards him again, blade flashing.

He parried the strike but the pressure on his shoulder from the clashing blades forced him back. Seeming to realize she had the upper hand, she swept at his legs with a leg and raised her sword. In the second that Thor stumbled, she dove downwards.

And jerked to a halt as thin black ropes caught her limbs, yellowed barbed tips digging into her emaciated skin.

Thor glanced sideways to see Loki smirking at him, holding tight to the whip restraining the Dísir. Thor returned the grin as he turned his attention back to the Dísir. “Sorry about this,” he said as he grabbed onto her arm.

A split second before Thor lit her up, Loki's whip freed itself from her flesh. With a rumble of thunder and the flash of blue-white lightning from deep in his chest, the Dísir was thrown hard against a black stone column. With a tug on the storm within him, a bolt hit the same tower which came crumbling down upon her and Thor saw no more of her.

Not giving himself more than a moment to celebrate, Thor turned again towards Loki to see him duck under twin blades of two Dísir, one of which Thor recognized as Hlökk, the one who'd wounded Loki in the bar. Now she hissed as Loki's dagger, his whip having disappeared into the ether, cut a tendon low on her leg. She buckled.

The other Dísir dodged a blade to the throat and grabbed for her sister. “Hlökk!” She cried as her sister stumble stepped away from Loki's blade.

 _Sister. People, not monsters,_ Thor’s thoughts reminded him with a pang of pity and disgust at the deeds they must carry out.

His stillness lasted only a moment longer as the unwounded Dísir’s blade sliced towards Loki's head and was only blocked by the horns of Loki's hastily summoned cornet.

Striking as Loki backed towards him, Thor's axe came down electrified on her shoulder. She seized for the few seconds it took to dislodge herself. The pair of Dísir retreated, if just for a moment.

Beside Thor, Loki grimaced as he massaged his head. The golden horns of his cornet seemed unmarred by the Dísir’s blade. It was oddly amusing. “Never thought that thing would come in handy.”

“Oh, shut up.” Loki snapped back. Though, as he shook his head the cornet again disappeared. He pressed his back against Thor's as another four Dísir descended upon them, weapons glinting against the storm above.

The rhythm they fell into was a familiar one. Almost comforting. That he had only one eye mattered little with the blades of someone he'd fought so long with at his back. On the occasion that he stumbled, or that the Dísir managed the upper hand, a dagger found their eyes or twisted their blows aside. More than once, the crack of a whip premeditated a shriek of annoyance as a Dísir who'd been ready to sink her teeth into Thor's neck was pulled away.

They were favors that Thor repaid by lighting up any Dísir that strayed too close to Loki's wounded shoulder or found a way to break the rhythm that Loki relied on. It was in those moments he managed to get a few words through. “Where,” he started, swinging at the neck of a Dísir, who sidestepped the blow, hissing. “Did you learn to fight with-” Loki's dagger whistled past his face to fend off another. Turning into his next swing, Thor let lightning ark up his axe. It crashed into the black rock, splitting it with a roll of thunder. The Dísir backed up for the blow. “That whip?”

Growing visibly exhausted, Loki flexed his hand and the black barbed whip appeared again. “Sanctuary,” he answered vaguely.

“Where?” Thor prepared himself again as the Dísir descended upon them. For what felt half an eternity the only sounds were of clashing blades and rolling thunder.

Scoring marks down the face of a Dísir who strayed close to Thor's blind side, Loki's reply was more of a snarl than Thor guessed he intended. “Home of my old-” a hissing blade grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood, _“gracious_ host.”

Knocking back the Dísir who'd draw blood with the butt of his axe, Thor hesitated just a moment. “Thanos?”

Thor heard Loki make a small, hissing _“tsk”_ sound in the back of his throat. Something he guessed had nothing to do with the blood running down Loki's cheekbone. “Yes,” Loki snipped after the moment passed. Still bristling with annoyance, Loki flipped his dagger in his hand and brought it down on the hand of one Dísir; she quickly retreated to let it heal. “Thor, this isn't working.” Loki voiced the fear Thor had been nursing.

Still, he denied it. “Their healing has slowed.”

Loki scoffed, sidestepping a thrown blade. “We cannot fight forever.” With a flick of his wrist, a second Loki appeared at his side, an exact copy; Thor saw the Dísir hesitate. “They can.”

The truth caught up, as it always did. Hela’s curse powered the Dísir to eternity. Loki's tricks- his seidr- had its limits. Even now as the two Loki's distracted the Dísir, Thor could see the illusion stutter in its subtleties and the sweat beading on the true Loki's forehead. Within himself, Thor felt the storm straining. How much longer he could wield it without tearing apart by the strength, he knew not. Distraction, _desperation,_ did not help. Turning, Thor watched Sif throw off one of the Dísir. Her spear glinted in the lightning but blood matted at her hairline and one sleeve of her armor was torn away. And beyond her, Brunhilde.

Thor's heart skipped a beat when he saw the three Dísir that surrounded her, one of them the crowned Göndul, another who's blonde hair hadn't been stained by the years, the third who Brunhilde managed to slice in the face as Thor watched. The strike was sloppy, sloppier than he'd come to expect. It left Brunhilde open to an attack that could cut her in two. Thor took a step towards her, knowing he was too far to help. The blonde Dísir raised her sword on Brunhilde’s exposed side.

And hesitated. Her emaciated face twisted as the blade trembled in her clawed hand.

Brunhilde still didn't move to shield herself. Thor saw her shaking. He took another step forward. Her hand went to her face as her sword drooped and her shoulders sagged. “I can't, Ama.” There were tears in her eyes. “Ama. _Ama._ I'm so sorry. Göndul, I let this happen.” Brunhilde grabbed onto the arm of the blonde Dísir.

The Dísir dropped her sword. Göndul paused, shuddering. All around, the sound of clashing blades fell away. As Thor glanced back, he saw Loki and Sif watching the scene, their weapons still clutched tight but the Dísir who'd engaged them appeared beside Göndul. They seemed to recognize the exhaustion of everyone around them, taking for as a few moments of resting easy.

“No, no,” Göndul muttered in her warped voice. “Blood begets blood but not yours. Your blood isn't to blame. Do not accuse yourself. We never did.” The Dísir that stood around Brunhilde no longer held their blades tight. A shudder went through their ranks as they stood. If possible, their monstrous faces seemed to soften. Göndul put a hand on Brunhilde’s shoulder. “None of this blame falls onto your shoulders.”

Loki was right and Thor knew it, the Dísir could fight forever. This was a battle they could never win with any straightforward means. But war did not solve all problems. Certainly if both sides fought without any heart.

 _Blood begets blood._ The phrase repeated itself in Thor's mind as a plan formed, half-baked at best. Mad by every standard. _And yet…_ He turned to Loki. “Hela cursed them, right? Her blood. Odin's blood. Blood can break the curse it sets, yes?” Loki nodded, frowning. “It's the same blood in my veins.”

“It doesn't-- maybe if you had a better control over your seidr…” Though Loki hesitated, Thor saw in his eyes he knew where this idea went. And that he didn't like it. Perhaps Loki had even seen this outcome and dissuaded it without mention. It seemed likely.

That alone meant it could work. “You're right, I do not wield seidr as you do. But it's still in my veins. The Dísir called for my blood maybe in ways beyond the simple bloodlust that Hela instilled within them. The thing that still ties them to these realms is in my veins when all others who carried it have passed on. Perhaps therein lies a way to break this curse and free all the Realms from their menace. If they must have blood then let them have mine.” Loki looked to the ground. “You said it yourself; this plan we have isn't working. And the Dísir, Brunhilde, they deserve a happier ending than war can bring them. If I can give that to them-”

“It won't work,” Loki lied quickly, unable to look Thor in the eye. “Father’s- his sins aren't your duty to fix. Neither are Hela’s.”

“No, Loki.” Thor saw Loki flinch and heard the same echoed words said as a shattered Bifrost crumbled into space. He took Loki's good shoulder. “If I let Hela’s curse stand then I'm no better than Odin. I don’t want that. _You_ don’t want that.”

“What do you know about what I want?” Loki sounded almost petulant.

Thor turned to Sif. She seemed as hesitant. “I told you, you aren't Odin.”

“You're right.” Thor smiled at her. “Dread Dís-women!” Facing the Dísir again, Thor saw them look up and away from Brunhilde, who shuddered.

Göndul held her sword aloft, pointing it accusingly at Thor's chest. Any trace of her softness vanished under a cold stare. It bore through him, seeing him for what he was. “Odin’s blood.”

“That I am.” Thor dipped his head, certain they wouldn't act unless he made the first move. 

“That which doomed us. Cursed us. Turned us into-” she glanced down at her warped hands. “Into this. The very same blood of Odin.”

“Not exactly the same, but perhaps close enough.”

Behind him, Thor heard Loki shifting boots crunch rock. “Don't,” Loki hissed in his ear. "Please." He added a moment later to which Thor's heart ached.

Thor ignored him, despite that. “Odin's blood has spilled enough blood of others. If I can begin to pay those debts, then I will gladly.” He glanced to Brunhilde and the blonde Dísir she clutched tight.

The green light of Göndul’s eyes followed his gaze. “You mean this, Odinson?”

“I do.” Thor dared not glance back at Loki or Sif, for fear he'd doubt himself. There was no room for that now.

She and her sisters held their weapons close, the blonde Dísir pulled away from Brunhilde who seemed to realize what was going on for the first time. “What-”

Thor steeled himself. “Blood for blood, lost Valkyrior who have taken the name Dísir.”

In the blink of an eye, the Dísir surrounded him. Their blades glinted maliciously, too close. He felt his heart jump. And felt them cut deep into his flesh. He went hot and then bone chillingly cold in a quick succession of seconds, that was the first sensation he recognized. The second was his knees hitting the ground, the stinging of rock digging into the skin of his hands. The third, pain. White hot pain of flayed flesh and the hot, thick blood falling from him.

He dimly heard Loki and Sif cry out in the same instant. But his fuzzy, failing vision left him no time to search for them. Instead he watched the Dísir. The women began to glow a brilliant white as a low hum filled the air.

The world itself seemed to dim. Or perhaps Thor had closed his eye for a moment. He could no longer tell. _Thinking_ itself hurt. Though maybe, he thought despite that fact, it was just _being_ that did it.

Nevertheless, when his vision returned he saw the Dísir changed. No longer were they monstrous, gone were their wolvish teeth and grasping claws. They appeared as sunlight through water, strange, warped yet not unpleasantly so, they were what Thor guessed they once must have been, with their armor returned to vibrancy and their wounds healed. Their skin appeared almost silverine.

Darkness crept in again, still Thor watched. There were hands on his back. Loki, somewhere, muttering _“idiot, idiot,”_ with panicked desperation.

He heard Göndul speak, her voice powerful, smoother than Thor had known. The thorned crown fallen from her head where it rested on the rock and sand. “Blood for blood. At last Odin’s line takes responsibility for itself.” She turned her gaze on Brunhilde.

As did Thor, barely managing the feat for every moment he breathed he felt his heart beating blood onto the black sand. Brunhilde held tight to the blonde Valkyrior; Ama, Thor guessed, weakly. “I missed- missed all of you.”

Göndul almost smiled. “You always found yourself the finest friends. Live Brun, live for your sisters who cannot. Your delight is ours.” As she spoke, the Valkyrior began to fade.

Ama bent over Brunhilde, brushing a hand down her cheek and speaking words meant only for her. Thor saw Brunhilde nod her head, laughing weakly. “Okay, I will. I will,” she murmured. “You're always right. How come you’re always right? That's not fair.” Even as the words left her mouth, the Valkyrior faded further, until Ama and her sisters were naught but echoes. The last Thor saw was the pair exchange a quick kiss, tender as Thor had ever seen her.

Then they were alone.

And Thor's world went dark as the last of his strength left his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter left. So close, oh so close. Hope to stay on schedule with this last one. Thanks for reading as usual.


	10. Chapter 10

There were far too bright lights shining through Thor's murky peace from above. They pulled him uncomfortably and unwillingly from the comfortable haze of unconsciousness. Loathfully so as his body immediately protested by rebounding a bitter, biting pain through him, every motion and thought magnified a thousandfold to exhaust. Every inch of his body cried out in a furious agony. It felt as if his skin had been rent from his body and hastily reapplied. The bandages that covered him were stiff and, as he slowly raised his head, they seemed to glitter with enchantments and were thick with crushed herbs that smelled of mint.

It took him a few long moments to recognize the cold metal room he lay in. A half asleep Loki, who leaned against the far wall only propping himself up with one hand that perched atop a collection of boxes, and using his cape as a blanket, helped the feat immensely. By his slumped posture Thor guessed he'd been there a while.

Sif's ship hummed as it flew through open space.

And Thor groaned as he tried to sit up, his body firmly curbing the movement before he even began.

The sound roused Loki, who bounded up, eyes wide as he turned them on Thor. “Oh, thank the Norns.” The relief in his voice was palpable, though he seemed to realize it a moment too late and drew himself into a haughty sneer. “Have I ever told you how much I despise fools who go throwing themselves headfirst at the first heroic opportunity for self sacrifice that they find?”

“Rather a lot, I’m guessing.” Loki's annoyance coaxed a small smile through the constant thrum of pain rebounding across Thor's body.

“More than you can fathom.”

“With your illustrious track record that's a bit hypocritical, methinks.” Thor saw Loki’s mouth twitch but he coaxed no more amusement than that. “What happened after I lost consciousness?”

 _“After_ Sif and I assured you wouldn’t bleed out on the rocks,” Loki said coolly. Thor didn’t waver and merely nodded. Loki narrowed his eyes, displeased at that. “The Valkyrior vanished, Brun hauled you over her shoulder and sprinted back to the ship.” For a quick moment Loki almost sounded jealous, though he crossed his arms and shook his head as if to dissuade that thought. “We’re heading back towards the Ark now. It’s over. Hela’s legacy is scrubbed clean as it shall ever be.”

A weight seemed to lift from Thor’s chest. “Good… good.”

But Loki bristled at his relief. “Hardly. The gamble you pulled was ridiculous. Do you have any idea how close you came to death?”

“I… I was prepared to give my life if that’s what it took. It was a fair trade for what our family did to them.” The anger in Loki's voice gave Thor pause. He’d seen Loki’s fury manifest in quite a plethora of ways before. This, a slight tremble about his whole being like he was jostled by the wind, a dangerous edge in his voice, eyes that glistened over bright as if Loki neared tears; this kind Thor rarely saw. It was a raw irate state, the fact that he wasn’t being attacked, either by words or by weapons, was a shocking one.

“You,” Loki said, breathing a heavy sigh through his nose. His eyes closed and he opened them again, appearing no less infuriated. “You are king of Asgard now, what would it have done without you?”

Focusing on rising, Thor didn’t at first answer. When he finally managed past the red haze of pain to sit upright, he spoke. “Asgard would have gone on. Heimdall and the council are good enough leaders without me,” he smiled, a smidgen bittersweet. “Likely finer for my absence. And Banner… Banner would come out to help when came time for Midgard. Wherein my friends would have come to its aid.”

Loki scoffed, obviously unsatisfied.

“Brunhilde would have been able to make peace, that’s half the reason I risked it to begin with. Sif’s quest would have concluded itself and she would aid you, Heimdall, and all of Asgard in where it went.”

To Thor’s shock, Loki laughed, cruel and utterly unamused. “Of course, you had it all planned out. What was your plan for me then, _hm,_ my most omniscient king?”

It was Thor’s turn to bristle. “Don’t call me that.” Loki didn’t drop his leer. “You would have gone back to an Asgard who needed you. Your pupils? _The future of Asgard’s seidr_ , remember?”

“No. No.” Loki said shortly, no longer laughing.

“No? Then explain the flaw in my reasoning.” Though Thor doubted his prompting would warrant much of a response by the nervous fidgeting of Loki’s hands. Indeed, as Loki busied himself prodding at the bandages binding Thor’s arms. Dropping the subject for now, Thor sighed. “You knew I could have done that to free them, didn’t you?”

Loki hesitated, face hidden by his hair. “There… there was always the possibility. But it was a longshot even by your lowest of standards.”

“I wish you had told me. It could have saved Brunhilde the trauma, you and Sif some spilled blood.” He saw Loki wince at the admonition. “But I don’t blame you for not telling me. Had it been me knowing you could have done that...”

Loki’s hands tightened on his arm.

The pressure spiked hot pain up to Thor’s temple. “Ow,” he grumbled, too weary to protest further.

Though that seemed enough to give Loki a ledge to latch onto. “Your injuries must not be healed the way I hoped.” He said formally as he stood upright. “I need to put you under again to give your body time to heal so you won’t go tearing open those wounds.”

Thor balked at the idea. “Surely there’s a better way?” He glanced down at the heavy bandages. “These herbs, are these the ones you collected? The ones that were meant for Asgard.” Narrowing his eyes, Loki didn’t respond. After a moment of watching Loki fidget with the bandages, Thor spoke again. “Won’t they do their work well enough without me going under?”

“Perhaps,” Loki shrugged. “But I’m not sure. And if there are other ways of healing I never learned of them and everyone who knew is dead, so…” His smile was tight.

Without a way to dispute that, Thor reluctantly nodded. “Fair point. Do your worst.”

“Well, no. That’s what we’re trying to avoid, or has the blood loss knocked free your memories?” Loki’s smile loosened just a hair as seidr fizzled in the air. “If that’s the case then remember that I _never_ stole your old axe when we were younger and hid it in the stable horses dung heap.”

Thor already felt the effects of the spell blanketing his consciousness, lulling him into a blissful numbness. Still, he managed offense. “That was you? I never got that damn smell… out.” He wobbled and Loki’s hands rocked him back

“No, weren’t you listening? I told you I _didn’t_ do that. Obviously.” Loki’s face hovered in his failing vision, lit by a smug smile founded on old mischief. All the complaint Thor managed was a slurred groan. With his last vestiges of consciousness, he saw Loki drop the smile. “You never do what you did again. You- you’re not allowed to die-” he stopped himself and sighed, shoulders falling,

And Thor’s mind fled to a soft dark place.

A sensation like pins pricking up his spine roused him from that slumber. A calloused hand brushed a cool cloth across his forehead, but jerked back as he shifted. Opening his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar boy staring back at him, blue eyes wide. A quick glance around told him he was back on the Ark in the makeshift medical bay.

Testing his limits, Thor found it infinitely easier to rise with the slightest tweaking of healing skin prickling across his flesh all that remained of his injuries. Looking to his arms he saw them bare of bandages, only the thinnest white lines where the Valkyrior’s swords had plunged into him. Soon, he guessed, those too would be gone. A part of him disliked erasing the story the scars held. Swinging his legs towards the floor, Thor looked to the boy. “How long?”

“Er,” the boy stammered, “a day… I think it’s been that long. Maybe longer.” He held his hands out, as if to stop Thor from rising but made no move to.

When his legs held him, Thor nodded. “And where is everyone?”

Wringing the cloth between his hands, the boy jerked his head upwards. “One of the big hangars, I think. But I was told to hold you here until Sir Loki could check you himself. He was _very_ firm about it.”

 _“Sir Lo-”_ Thor stopped himself from chuckling. “And I’ll tell him you put up a valiant effort in attempting to do so but I was unmanageable. Sound fair?” The boy shrugged after a long moment of thought and Thor grinned. “Then so it shall be. Thank you for your service. I’ll put in a good word, I’d imagine those are hard to come by with him.”

The ship was superbly empty, more than Thor had ever seen it, as if the halls had been wiped clean of life, the only remnants were the grime left by hundreds of inhabitants. Still, Thor revelled in finally being back among the people he swore to protect. Gone was the nagging worry of a disaster he couldn’t avert. At least when he was among the people he had a chance to assure their safety.

Still, that he’d run across none unsettled. Even the Sakaarians evaded him. Assuring himself in the nonchalance of the youth who’d awoken him, Thor kept his pace even and head even. There was a reasonable explanation and he’d find it out.

But then he heard a scream as he approached the lower quarters of the ship and he took off running. The screams increased in pitch as he approached, accompanied by a thudding. Explosions maybe? As he skidded on the slick ground electricity ran up his arms.

The sight that greeted him was briefly disorienting as a green strobing light shone in his eye over a mass of bodies. But the screams of delight and the thudding music told him all he needed to know.

The party was not of Sakaar’s standards but it did seem to approach that magnitude. Thor could see Korg seated just above the crowd manipulating the music. Cries of celebration filled the air. Genuine joy the likes of which Thor hadn’t heard from his people since long before this had all began. Despite his bafflement and the adrenaline still flooding his veins, he broke into a smile.

A pair of Asgardians noticed him and he saw the frantic, joyful light in their eyes flicker as they lowered their hands and drinks, ceasing their dance. One after another the group ducked into bows. Quick to reassure, Thor dipped his head back and near shouted over the music to be heard. “Methinks your drinks need refilling! I’m sure you can find someone to remedy that.” Their joy returned after a moment of shock and they disappeared into the larger crowd.

Watching said crowd, Thor soaked in the infectious giddiness. Among it all fears seemed to melt beneath a sense of right with the world, something Asgard had been much lacking.

There was a clink of boots and Thor turned to find Heimdall watching him. “My king,” Heimdall said as he dipped his head. “It is good to see you up and well.”

“It's good to be up.” And in seeing Heimdall Thor remembered a certain blue worry. “Has the Tesseract been delivered to you?”

To his relief, Heimdall nodded. “Aye, that it has. Sif made sure of that.” His gaze darkened. “It certainly is something special. Time will tell how the bonds that contain it shall hold.”

Glancing around, Thor lowered his voice so that it could barely be heard over the music and shouts. “Has my brother been lurking about it. I worry--”

“That he is rather taken with the Infinity Gem? I noticed that. He has caused no issues thus far.” Heimdall looked out over the crowd. “What he plans he does not show. Perhaps new intention can break old habits. Time shall tell.”

Thor nodded, letting himself hope.

“Oh, and look who disobeys the healer’s direct orders.” Loki's voice sounded behind him. “What an _uncharacteristic_ surprise,” he said sarcastically as Thor spun to face him. He swirled a delicate glass in his right hand. Dipping his head shortly for Heimdall, Loki’s eyes narrowed. “Good Heimdall. Gossiping are we? In the middle of a party, what a pity you _really_ must lighten up.”

With a look between them, Heimdall bowed again. “You are correct. This time is for merriment. It's a special occasion, after all.” With a small smile he disappeared into the crowd and left the pair of them alone.

“A party, really?” Recovering from his surprise, Thor gestured around at the throng of Asgardians and Sakaar’s refugees. Though he made no effort to sound truly irritated, it was impossible among this atmosphere.

Loki merely shrugged. “Don’t accuse me I was not the sole conspirator.” He looked out over the crowd, sipping his drink. “Brun convinced the council of its importance with minimal threat of disembowelment. Obviously the people wouldn’t say no; turns out Sif is fairly popular and they were eager to celebrate her return. Who could have guessed.” He held up a silencing finger. _“Don't_ answer that.”

“I’d never dream of it,” Thor said with a smile.

“Of course not. Why ruin a nice moment?” With another sip Thor saw a small, soft smile break Loki's facade. It reached his eyes with a glimmer of which Thor dared identify as happiness.

And Thor's chest ached something fierce and wonderful at the sight. “Is that optimism I hear?”

The smile didn't waver. “Perhaps. Or perhaps it's the alcohol. Who could truly know.”

“Mmm,” Thor hummed, not willing to contradict. The music changed and with the voices of a ragtag choir of Asgardians and Sakaar folk it became a melody not unlike music he'd heard upon Midgard. “Do you think they'll like it there? On Midgard.”

Loki didn't answer him for a long moment and they were left watching the writhing crowd. Thor finally heard him sigh. “It will be a bit of a culture shock. With all of our technology gone we’ll need rely on primitive tools. It may take months or years or decades to adjust. They are not you.”

“But eventually?”

“You can only hope that Midgard shapes them into something similar as yourself; I'm no Norn gifted future seer.” A flicker of his smile returned. “As I've said previously.”

Chuckling, Thor swallowed his worries and spoke on a fear that had been nagging him. “What of you? What shall Midgard make of you.”

Loki didn't quite stiffen. “I- ha,” he breathed a strained laugh. “We’ll see. My optimism can only stretch so far and I’ve made my fair share of enemies on that rock of a planet.”

Resting a hand at the base of Loki's neck, Thor nodded. “They’ll come around and see change if you let them.” He heard Loki hum a low, doubtful note. “It was an unfair question. I hope, though,” he met Loki's eye. “That whatever story you chose to weave for yourself, our threads do not stray too far from each other.” He pulled a smile, meaning it, and hoping Loki saw that.

Loki kept his gaze, eyes glossy, mouth open just slightly but no words came out. His lips twitched up as he seemed to remember himself and smirked. “Oh, I'm sure there's enough mischief to be made in a Midgardian Asgard.”

“Surely. Not just mischief, I hope.”

“No. Though such a verb is fairly benign in comparison to others.”

“Don't you dare debate grammar with me at a party of all places,” Thor said with false menace.

Holding up his drink up in surrender, Loki sipped it and raised his eyebrows. Before he could speak a cheer went through the crowd and they turned towards the center of the commotion.

It wasn't hard to find the instigator. Brunhilde sat atop the Hulk’s shoulders, toting twin mugs of frothing beer. “Yeah! Who else wants to try, huh?!”

Below her, the Hulk roared, “Hulk friend is strongest!” And Brunhilde tipped her head back and laughed, clear and joyful.

Grinning Thor slipped through the crowd to close the gap, Loki beside him. When they neared close enough they saw an Asgardian held by his friends, eye blackened and nose bleeding. He spit out a tooth and stared up at Brunhilde, the Hulk, and Sif who also stood on their side. “A fine-” he massaged his jaw and wiped blood from his nose, “a fine fight!”

“Damn right!” Brunhilde crowed as she thumped on the Hulk’s shoulders with a foot. “Alright, lemme down big guy!” One of her drinks spilled as she jumped to the ground. Upon seeing Thor, she toasted him. “Your majesty! Nice of you to finally join us!”

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” All around him the crowd cheered.

Sif smiled at him, full of relief. “Good to see you,” she murmured, taking a few steps towards him but not straying far from Brunhilde’s side.

“Well, you gotta catch up!” Brunhilde called out. And with another whoop from the crowd Thor found drink upon drink handed his way.

When he managed to settle on just one he raised it high into the air and for a moment all went quiet as Korg silenced the music and the dancing slowed to a standstill. Thor felt every eye on him and knew he held the attention of the entire ship for the first time since his crowning as king of these refugees. “There is a time and a place for grand speeches,” he began after a moment of mute suspense. “And there is a place for simple celebration. Sometimes those two things collide. Sometimes. But this is not one of those times so I'll keep it short.” He glanced between Asgardians and the refugees among them. “This return of one of our own isn't merely a victory for Asgard alone. For us, all of us, each day is its own victory. Each day we survive we triumph over those who would fight to take that survival from us. That itself is enough a reason to celebrate.” He paused and glanced to his friends. “So… let’s.”

After a moment of silence a cheer went up from Korg. “Woo! Party!” And the music started again, so loud Thor winced and he saw Loki flinch beside him. On all sides the party exploded into action.

“Not your most eloquent,” Loki prodded. “But I suppose they're all too intoxicated to think otherwise.”

“Or they are humoring me.” Thor shrugged, tasting the alcohol that had been given to him. It wasn't anything like Asgard’s stock but he downed it anyway, the foam of it sticking to his lip. “I'm not the one trained in the art of speechcraft, now am I?”

Eyeing the drink in his hand with distaste, Loki’s upper lip curled just slightly. “Eugh- right, you're not,” he corrected after a moment.

Feeling slightly defensive, though part of him agreed with Loki's disgust, Thor frowned. “It's not that bad.” A weight thumped his back and Thor turned to see Brunhilde leaning over his shoulder.

“Yeah, Loki, don't turn your nose up at it,” she jabbed and Sif smiled.

“I'm no fan of torturing myself with subpar concoctions.”

“Ha! Lightweight.” Lightning quick, she made a grab for Loki's drink.

The knife that lingered a hair’s breadth from her throat came only a blink later. Thor stiffened, not daring breath as the pair glared at each other.

“Ooh, point taken,” she breathed, eyes narrowed. Her glare melted into a wide grin only moments later. “Get that thing out of my face or I'll stick it up your ass. And neither of us want that, now do we?”

With a flick of his wrist, the dagger disappeared. Loki's smile was thin but Thor saw the amusement in it. “Surely not. Though it's rather presumptuous of you to guess at those things.”

Taking a step back, Brunhilde quirked an eyebrow. “Yeah? And yet you get away with it so easily.”

“Truly life is so unfair. We can’t all be me, after all,” Loki said, sounding overly smug as his eyes flickered away from Brunhilde in a way Thor couldn't follow.

Whatever it was, she grinned wider. “Got me.” The music changed again and she squared her shoulders. “Now don't you have some scheme to dream up that’ll get us in more trouble?” She glanced to Thor, “the both of you.” Shoving him square in the chest with her free hand she gestured around at the dancing crowd.

Knowing how to take a hint, Thor backed away. Though he didn't make it far before Brunhilde winked and turned back towards the Hulk and Sif. She dipped into an elaborate bow, miraculously not spilling her drink, in front of Sif. “May I have this dance, oh esteemed Lady Sif?” Thor heard her say.

He watched Sif stiffen and despite the neon lights he swore he saw her flush. And after a moment’s pause, she took her hand. It took only a few steps to get them swaying in time to the music.

There was a hand tugging on his arm and Thor tore himself away from the pair to Loki dragging him away from them. “Don't stare,” he snapped.

“I- um,” Thor found his tongue with some difficulty. “I didn't know Sif… uh-”

He saw Loki roll his eyes. “Oh _come_ on,” Loki muttered, exasperated. When they were a safe distance away, leaning against the makeshift bar that provided drinks for those around them, Loki released him. “Did you ever expect any of us to be one thing for the entirety of our lives?” By Loki's wry smile Thor knew he remembered the words Thor had given him as he seized on the floor of Sakaar’s hangar. Perhaps, even, he'd taken them to heart. “We’re _gods._ If we don't change we’re good as dead.”

“Well said, I suppose.”

“You _suppose?”_ Loki repeated, appearing insincerely offended.

“Yes, I _suppose.”_ Thor emphasized as he glanced back from where they'd came. Between the bodies of the crowd he saw Brunhilde and Sif, dancing close, both laughing. He watched Brunhilde lean close to whisper something to Sif, who, after a moment of pause, nodded. Brunhilde grinned wide the second before she kissed Sif. When they broke apart their giddy laughter was louder than the music.

And under the neon lights, safe in the company of friends, the future seemed not so bleak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's over! To think I started this thing almost three months ago is wild. Maybe I'll continue this universe where I ignore the definite inevitable horrible of Thanos attacking Asgard, at this point I'm not sure though I've got a few ideas in my head. I don't like leaving things behind after I've put so much time in.  
> No matter what I end up doing I want to thank you for reading. This release schedule has let me have the most fun writing fic since back when I did stuff like this in 2013. Everyone who left nice comments I can't thank you enough.


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